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  Last year's US Open of Surfing. Photo courtesy of Nike US Open of Surfing.

Press Release:

 

Huntington Beach, CA – Amidst the excitement and action of the Nike US Open of Surfing, fans will notice some new eco-friendly initiatives this year aimed at educating and encouraging beachgoers to become active in key environmental programs such as beach clean-up, recycling and clean water initiatives.

 

The event, owned and produced by IMG, the global leader in sports and entertainment, along with key sponsors Nike, Hurley and Converse want to raise awareness, inspire activism, generate involvement and showcase that even in a crowd of thousands a single person has the power to drive real change in the world.

 

With a crowd of more than 500,000 people expected, plastic litter on the beach has the potential to become a serious problem. Further to that, currently only 20% of single use water bottles are recycled. So the 2011 Nike US Open of Surfing will lead the charge in minimizing the effects of plastics and litter by running an on-site recycling store called TRASHed.

 

The store will give out tokens for recycled items that can be redeemed for merchandise and prize packages. Additionally, the Hurley )(20 program will feature a watering station where clean water is free for all. Any person with a reusable water bottle can fill up at the watering station for the duration of the US Open of Surfing.

 

Consumers can also purchase reusable water bottles and $1 of each purchase will go towards )(20’s Waves For Water program that buys new water filters for those in need globally. A $1 filter is enough to provide clean drinking water to 100 people for a month. Converse will take part in the recycling effort with their Art of the Board program and have a recycling station for skateboards and skateboard parts on-site at the event.

 

IMG partnered with Global Inheritance, a non-profit organization that runs recycling programs at major festivals around the world to run the TRASHed locations on-site and the organization will play a key role in keeping Huntington Beach spotless.

 

The Hurley )(20 program will use the US Open of Surfing to educate all of the fans that visit Huntington Beach about the need for clean, safe, accessible drinking water to everyone on the planet. One in six people in the world do not have access to clean water and money raised at the US Open will aid the Waves For Water ambassadors in delivering water filters to parts of the world that need it most.

 

Converse will partner with skateboard recycling company Art of Board this year at the Converse Skate Pavilion. Art of Board will be accepting used or broken skateboard decks for their nationwide recycling movement called “I Ride I Recycle”. Using broken skateboard decks, Art of Board transforms interior spaces, offering a sustainable solution to the entire Skate Industry, and pushing sustainable design to its limits.

 

About US Open of Surfing

The 2011 Nike US Open of Surfing will run from July 30 to August 7 and is owned and produced by IMG, the global leader in sports and entertainment. With more than 500,000 people in attendance along a 14-acre stretch of sand on the south side of Huntington Beach Pier, the Nike US Open of Surfing showcases the best in surf, skate, BMX, music, fashion and art. All events at the US Open of Surfing are FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Live webcast of all the events can be viewed daily at www.usopenofsurfing.com.

 

Anchored by the world’s largest professional surfing competition, the $460,000 US Open is a pivotal point on the ASP World Tour for both the men and women. The men’s competition will feature a North America ASP Men’s Prime event with valuable points on the line right before the coveted ASP Top 34 rotation.

 

For the women, the US Open of Surfing will host the final event of the 2011 ASP World Title Tour and will potentially crown a women’s world champion in Surf City this summer. In addition to the high-stakes men’s and women’s divisions, the US Open will feature an ASP Grade Four men’s and women’s Junior Pro as well as the Pacifico Nose Riding Invitational – always a crowd favorite.

 

The action doesn’t stop at the shoreline. On the beach, Converse Coastal Carnage will once again host the most talented and diverse crew of riders from across the globe as they skate in a state-of-the-art skate bowl. And, a stellar crew of BMX riders will push the realm of possibility at the Nike 6.0 HB BMX Pro.

 

The runway will be busy on Thursday, August 4 as five of the nation’s top high schools will compete for $25,000 in the Hurley Walk National Championship – the ultimate youth fashion competition.

 

See page 2 for more on the US Open of Surfing…

 

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Combined with one-of-a-kind retail and brand experiences, more than 100 interactive exhibits, autograph signings, DJs and giveaways, and you have another summer to remember at the Nike US Open of Surfing.

 

The Nike US Open of Surfing is proudly sponsored by G-Shock, Skullcandy, Red Bull, Pacifico, Paul Mitchell Salon Haircare, Invisalign Teen and Transworld Media.

 

About IMG

IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG’s Joint Ventures in China, Brazil and India; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academies; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IMG_Worldwide and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/IMG-Worldwide/.

 

 

About Global Inheritance

Global Inheritance is a non-profit organization working to reinvent activism and empower individuals to seek global balance. Our initiatives focus on the power of creativity to communicate and push for progressive social change. Global Inheritance targets various subcultures, developing campaigns that cater specifically to each individual demographic. Through interactivity, inspiration and education, Global Inheritance provides a bridge between ideas and actions.