Starboard and Severne will be the title sponsors of the this year’s Aloha Classic and we have caught up with Starboard’s CEO and founder Svein Rasmussen and asked him why he decided to invest some of his dollars to make the PWA Aloha Classic event happen this year.
Ben Severne (Founder of Severne Sails): “We’re stoked to be a part of the 2014 Aloha Classic. Ho’okipa is such an important place for windsurfing and it’s great to see another event there. It’s always some of the best windsurfing action I see all year. Good luck to all the competitors.”
Svein Rasmussen
Continentseven: Starboard will be one of the title sponsors of the this year’s Aloha Classic. Did Starboard, Severne have a good year 2014 and some money left?
Svein Rasmussen: Starboard is group of companies were Windsurfing historically is our core interest and passion. We are as a group having best year ever and when we were informed that the PWA wanted support to secure the event, we felt that this was a good way to honour the great work the PWA does in marketing our sport.
Continentseven: How was the 2014 year for Starboard Windsurfing so far?
Svein Rasmussen: Starboard WS has actually increased sales in 013 and also in 014. The sales increase has evolved due an enormous amount of product development. The return on the investment is however not great due to significant investment, but the trend of growth in our sport is pretty cool and something that we are absolutely stoked to share.
Continentseven: Some may say Starboard has no real Hookipa winner in the team. Why did you decide to sponsor exactly this event and not Chile for example?
Svein Rasmussen: We look at the Aloha Classic as the most legendary wave sailing event. All the coverage will help energise riders all over the world. We may not discuss if Starboard tack is the favourite tack of our riders, but rather focus on the fact that Hookipa Is a great venue.
Starboard headquarter in Thailand
Continentseven: Maui is the mecca of wave sailing. Severne is a brand driven by wave sailing. Starboard is an all-round brand with products for everyone, from the beginner to the specific racing segments. How important is the wave image for Starboard?
Svein Rasmussen: At Starboard we want to make the best possible gear for everyone at any level, from Hookipa to lake Taco. We believe that all images combined makes for the best presentation of our brand, we are simply a reflection of windsurfing at all levels, this is our DNA and were we feel at home.
Continentseven: It’s definitely a strong sign of the windsurfing industry to support the PWA tour not only with member ship fees, but also with event sponsoring. Will we see more events, sponsored by the windsurfing industry?
Svein Rasmussen: I do not know if this is strong sign or not, but surely the windsurfing industry has more to gain from a strong PWA tour than any other industry.
Continentseven: What benefit do you expect from such an investment, which is for sure a five-figure sum?
Svein Rasmussen: I hope we all will see a lot of happy riders competing in good wave conditions something that may not be measured in dollars.
Continentseven: Who will win the event?
Svein Rasmussen: The best prepared rider will win. As usual there will be some luck involved to make it all the more exciting.
The Severne Starboard Aloha Classic 2014 is confirmed
©Continentseven 2014
