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Sitka Profile: The name Sitka derives from the Sitka Spruce, a tree naturally drawn to the shorelines of Western Canada; the company Sitka grew from the same endeavor.
Planting the Seed
The seed was sown in the fall of 2002 when two Canadian surfers, Rene Gauthier and Andrew Paine, with their shared passion and vision for making surfboards, decided to take their hobby out of the garage and offer a new option to the local surfing population. Sitka Surfboards was born. Since that time the company has grown drastically and now offers a complete surfboard, skateboard, and clothing line.
Surfboards
Surfing and surfboard manufacturing have been the core of Sitka since the company began and it remains the same today. The Sitka Surfboard Collection has evolved over the years through long hours of research and development not only on our own points, reef and beaches here in Canada but also on the many trips that have taken the team around the planet to world class and off the beaten track breaks alike. The result is a well-rounded quiver that will deliver no matter what break and conditions may be found. Sitka offers hand-shaped custom creations as well as machine shaped boards to keep the racks stocked with the most common dimensions.
Clothing
It was not long after the iconic Sitka spruce tree design was branded on their first custom made boards that customers began requesting other Sitka merchandise as well. As the popularity of the surfboards and clothing grew over the years, the brand has come to represent and attract a wide network of likeminded individuals, also drawn to the same passions and lifestyle of the founders. The people who supported the brand at the outset would inevitably place their own mark on Sitka and help develop the company a to what it is today. These individuals are surfers, skateboarders, and artists all embodying a certain West Coast lifestyle and the values that go along with it. These values are reflected by the products that they choose to buy and in their endorsement of the Sitka brand.
SKATEBOARDS
All of the Sitka decks draw their graphics from the rest of the line while the shape, width and concave are developed with the feedback from the Skate Team. The riders range in skating style from vert, park or street and there is a board for every one of them in the deck line up.
Distribution
Sitka, in turn, has germinated into an exceptionally unique surfboard, skateboard and clothing line that not only represents the lifestyle that is shared by its creators but appeals to a wide range of people. Sitka is sold in the stores of like minded retailers across Canada and down the West coast of the USA. As the distribution range expanded, so too has the size of the product line and the population that it appeals to. Besides the unique look of the brand, customers and retailers are drawn toward the high attention to detail and quality that goes into all of the products that are sold. This can be seen from the strength of the fiberglass on the surfboards to the softness of the hoodies.
TEAM
With the growth of the Surfboard, skateboard and clothing lines came an ever-expanding formal and informal surf, skate and lifestyle team. Sitka does not just sponsor ‘names’. The team consists of individuals that are role models in their respective community; big or small.
SURF TEAM
The surf team consists of a variety of colourful characters that each represent the brand in their own way. Christian Moutinho is a Brazillian born Canadian who acquired his skills by chasing his passion around the world since his teenage years. Christian surfed on the WQS for six years, earned a masters degree with a focus on performance surfing and has coached numerous athletes on the WCT today, such as Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning.
Christian Moutinho – Vancouver Island - Canada
Bryson Robertson, born and raised in South Africa, is about to set out on his own adventure around the world to seek incredible surf and also to bring awareness to the world about the damage being done to the oceans. He will set sail for three years with two fellow sailors and document, educate, and bring awareness wherever they go. Already an engineer by trade, Bryson is working in collaboration with Queens University in Ontario and will step back off the boat with a PhD. To find out more about the expedition check out
www.oceangybe.com
.
Bryson Robertson
Also on the team is a group of dynamic surfers scattered on both the West and East Coast of Canada, such as Leah Oke and Joey Buck who represent the Sitka brand both with their surfing and Vancouver Island lifestyles. Leah, 20, has won virtually every contest that she has entered along the West Coast of North America and is ready to set her sights higher towards the world tour.
SKATE TEAM
The skateboard team is as diverse as the surf team and includes original members such as Jon Reichert and Rebecca Filion as well as many additions over the years. Jon, a progressive vert skater essentially lives at the many skate parks in Vancouver and spends much of his spare time teaching young skaters the tricks of his trade. Rebecca is a new mother living in Montreal who decided to turn her spare bedroom into a mini-ramp. She is currently in Italy completing her PhD in Geography. The team also includes a growing number of standouts at local skate parks across Canada.
Artists
In addition to the team riders, Sitka sponsors talented musicians and artists such as Current Swell, a Victoria based-band that is turning heads where ever they play across North America. They just released their second, much anticipated album, with great reviews.
The Clothing line draws inspiration from everyone involved with the brand, and the collection features work by artists such as Brad Beatty with his satirically personified animal art and Ben Frey’s twist on reality.