Town and Country - historique

COMPANY HISTORY
In 1971 Craig SUGIHARA founded Town & Country Surfshop. The beginnings of this venture were humble - an old babershop in Pearl City Hawaii served as the original storefront. Fueled by an unrestrained passion for surfing and initial start-up capital of $3,000.00 Town & Country has evolved into a multifaced surf company and has solifified its position as a worldwide industry icon.Craig's love affair with the ocean and surfing started long before entering the surf business. Though not a competitive surfer in his formative yeras, Craig can recall with grom-like stoke his firstwave. Craig knew from that experience that he would be surfing for the rest of his life. What Craig did not realize was that surfing would eventually define his career, his accomplishment, his lifestyle, and his character.

As a young boy in the early 60's Craig would regularly rent boards from Captain Wata and other Waikiki Beach Boys at George Downing's rental stand. The price of rental was $1.00 per day, but the chance meetings with now famous beach boys like Rabbit KEKAI, and stories about Duke KAHANAMOKU were priceless. The rich history of surfing and the related lifestyle only increased Craig's enthusiasm of surfing. In 1963 Craig's stoke for surfing pushed him to work hard all summer to purchase his first new surfboard - 9'4'' Hobie ($134.00)

While many surfers are drawn to the ocean and the act of surfing, few have a real thirst for understanding and creating their own equipment. Craig is one of those exceptions. As his surfing skills improved his interest in the anatomy of the surfboard and its impact on performance increased. The intrigue led to countless visits to Surfboards Makaha between college classes to watch Joe KUALA glassing and glossing, as well as, Sparky and Ben AIPA shaping boards. Though attending college at university of Hawaii Craig's mind was filled with thoughts and theories on board design. He silently dreamed of working at Surfboards Makaha, but this never came to be. This did not deter Craig stripped an old, long forgotten, brown board form the neighbor's house and re-shaped and glassed it. Beneath the brown 'crust' was the bright-white foam of a new board. The completed board was the start of something very special. Not a 'magic' board as performance goes, but certainly a magical board !

The second board was shaped from a blank purchases from Surfline Hawaii. Like the first board this board was shaped and laminated by Craig. As fate would have it, Greg Noll Surfboards had just lost a laminator around the same time. On the urging of his friend Peter Banks, Craig brought his board in to show owner Charlie Galanto his work. They set up two blanks, each glassing the bottom of one. Charlie then left Craig to finish the boards and call him when he was done. After inspecting the work Craig was told, "come back tomorrow, you got the job". Though not shaping, Craig was moving closer to his goal. At Greg Noll Surfboards Craig met a number of people that would play key roles in the development of the surfing. Included among these people was Randy Rarick long-time surf promoter and Director of the Triple Crown of Surfing. This was also the time when Craig first met Makaha's ambassador of surfing - Buffalo Keaulana. Craig would often deliver boards to Buff, these meetings and surf sessions were the start of a lasting friendship.

The years at Greg Noll Surfboards were memorable and provided excellent learning experience, but Craig still wanted to shape. The opportunity came when he was offered a position with Mystic Surfboards in Waianae. Having started many friendships with other surfers on the Westside and enjoying the waves at Makaha, the chance to build complete boards made the decision an easy one. Soon Craig was shaping for a number of local standouts, but his passion for surfing still wanted more. After about one year Craig decides to open his own shop.

In 1971, whith limited capital and limitless stoke Craig opened his first shop in Pearl City. At the time Kamehameha Highway was the only access to the North Shore and its many epic waves. The name reflected the shop's position between the two epicenters of surf on Oahu - Town & Country. The strategic position of the shop and quality boards drove strong demand for Town & Country Surfboards. In early years such notable shapers like Glenn Minami and Barry Kanaiaupuni helped Craig meet growing demand. The logo suggested by a t-shirt artist, has strong graphic character and deep meaning. Most simple and applicable to surfing is - BALANCE. This balance has defined the evolution of Town & Country over years.

TEAM HISTORY
Since its inception, Town & Country has played an important role in the innovation and progression of surfing. Larry Bertelmann, an early pioneer, pushed the limits of board design with his creative and futuristic maneuvers. This style of surfing was embraced by surfers around the world, and paved the way for surfboard design advancements crucial to today's level of surfing.An opportunity to surf a Mark Richards twin-fin in the early seventies convinced Craig that board technology would define the future of surfing. Stoked with the performance, Craig worked with shaper Glenn Minami to build a version of the twin-fin taht performed in Hawaii and around the world. The refined shaping concept served as the stage for Dane Kealoha's exceptional professional surfing career - highlighted by a #2 world ranking. Many believed the World Title only eluded Dane due to political infighting that plagued professional surfing's organizational regime at the time. Regardless of his ultimate world ranking, it is unquestionable taht Dane Kealoha set the standard for power surfing ! Dane was always a standout a Backdoor and big days at Ala Moana Bowls. Dane Kealoha is synonymous with Hawaiian surfing and helped to define the term - Power Surfing.Around the same time, Glenn Pang's version of the twin-fin helped usher in a new era of performance surfing. Martin Potter's progressive aerial surfing and fresh approach to surfing on the twin-fin helped pave the way for the new blood at Town & Country that did much of their surfing above, over, or off the wave. The turns and approach to surfing the wave were fundamentally changing and so too was design. Team rider Marvin Foster returned from a trip to Australia with what was to become the new standard for performance surfing - the THRUSTER. On versions recreated by Town & Country shapers young team riders Matt Archbold and Christian Fletcher helped take surfing to new heights. The progressive crew was dubbed the Air Brigade. The excitement created by this new radical surfing attracted many shapers and teamriders to Town & Country.

About this times a new crew of young powerful Hawaiian surfers were starting to make their mark on the international competive surf scene. Sunny Garcia joined the Town & Country team at the age 13 and under the coaching of Ben Aipa honed the fundamentals that ultimately lead him to the World Title. Johnny Boy Gomes built on the aggressive and powerful image flowing from Town & Country. Both Sunny and Johnny Boy were standout surfers in heavy Hawaiian surf continuing the legacy started by Dane.

As the reach and following of the brand grew, Town & Country continued to expand the size and reach of the team. To connect with consumers in California and Florida Town & Country signed Chris Ward, Bobby Martinez, and Shea Lopez. During this same time Kahea Hart and Ross Williams carried the torch for Hawaii. All the while Town & Country continued to groom young talent throughout the islands.

The present generation of Town & Country Surfers all grew up emulating the 'new school' of surfing. Many credit Kelly Slater with forever altering the direction of surfing. The new tema is in tune with the direction of surfing for the new millennium! Roy POWERS, Daniel KEREOPA, Mikala JONES or Dustin CUIZON are all very different surfers and characters. Howeve, each contributes something unique and important to the team.

Through the years Town & Country has traveled the world extending its reach form the shores of the Pacific to touch Japan, Europe, South America, North America, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. While all facets of the company look very different than they did in 1971, the motivation remains unchanged. T&C Surf Designs is driven by a pure stoke for surfing and the Aloha to share the experience and lifestyle.

TEAMLIST 1970's
Riders: Craig SUGIHARA, Larry BERTLEMAN, Dane KEALOHA, Bufallo KEAULANA, Calvin MAEDA, Randall KIM, Louis FERREIRA, Alan WICKLUND
Shapers : Craig SUGIHARA, Larry BERTLEMAN, Barry KANAIAUPUNI, Glenn MINAMI, Ed ANGULO, Dennis PANG, Donald TAKAYAMA

TEAMLIST 1980's
Riders : Dane KEALOHA, Martin POTTER, Marvin FOSTER, Larry RIOS, Denton MIYAMURA, Randall KIM, Vince KLINE, Calvin MAEDA, Sunny GARCIA, Matt ARCHBOLD, Christian FLETCHER, Kalani FOSTER, Richie COLLINS, Keoni WATSON, Brad GERLACH, Davey GONZALVES, Lance HOOKANO, John SHIMOOKA, Brian KEAULANA, Rusty KEAULANA
Shapers : Glenn PANG, Cino, Jeff JOHNSTON, Ben AIPA, Louis FERREIRA, Ad BARBERA, Brett MURAMOTO, Tony CERF, Ned McCANN, Peter BENJAMIN, Donald TAKAYAMA

TEAMLIST 1990's
Riders: Matt ARCHBOLD, Sunny GARCIA, Johnny Boy GOMES, Andy IRONS, Bruce IRONS, Kieren PERROW, Ross WILLIAMS, Chris WARD, Bobby MARTINEZ, Gavin SUTHERLAND, Kahea HART, Makua ROTHMAN, Pocho AHINA, Pat O'CONNEL, Dino ANDINO, Shawn BRILEY
Shapers : Cino, Jeff JOHNSTONE, Jason KASHIWAI, John CARPER, Wes OSHIRO, Gabe GARDUQUE, Keola RAPOZA, Tommy TANAKA, Greg GRIFFEN, Gordon HANSEN

TEAMLIST 2000's
Riders : Jason, SHIBATA, Dustin CUIZON, Conan HAYES, Jamie O'BRIEN, Danny FULLER, Mick LOWE, Kieren PERROW, Bron HUSSENSTAM, Kahea HART, Ruben TEJADA, Keegan EDWARDS, Kapono NAHINA, Fred PATTACHIA, Roy POWERS, Daniel KEREOPA, Mikala JONES
Shapers : Glenn PANG, CINO, KEOLA RAPOZA, Greg GRIFFEN, Jason KASHIWAI, Bruno BUZZOLAN, Matt CRISP, Dave LEWIS, Mike ESTRADA, Dean GEARHTY, Craig HUGHES, Stu SHARPE, Luciano LEAO, Renaud CARDINAL.

TOWN & COUNTRY SURF DESIGNS, ZAC des Fourneaux 3 Av. Albert Denis, 17690 ANGOULINS FRANCE contact@tcsurf-france.com
Tel. (+33) 5 46 27 00 27 Fax. (+33) 5 46 27 03 27 Legal notice powered by uwl-communication.com

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