EuroSIMAg - number 14 by EuroSIMA

QUARTERLY • AUTUMN 2018

N°14 05 Green Hill, the all new business incubator revealed

08 Exhibition: 5 years on the road

12 The hype around surf parks

www.landesatlantiquesud.com * Profite de l'instant

KEY FIGURES

399€

he average amount that Action Sport enthusiasts spend on boardsports products.

Source: EUROSIMA/NIELSEN SPORTS. — The study “Action Sports fans, who are they?” carried out in late August 2018 by Nielsen Sports for EUROSIMA covers the 5 key markets in Europe (France, Germany, UK, Spain and Portugal) through two samples of the population for each (the general public and Action Sports fans).

EUROSIMA IN ACTION

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BEHIND THE SCENES

T O W A R D S A S U S TA I N A B L E F U T U R E

# E U R O S I M A F A M I LY

Green Hill, the all new business incubator revealed

Exhibition: 5 years on the road

The hype around surf parks

Flashback

EUROSIMA IN ACTION

DIGITAL BOOT CAMP: DIRECT TO CONSUMER

IMPROVE YOUR COMPANY MANAGEMENT

ACTION SPORTS FANS, WHO ARE THEY?

CHALLENGE YOURSELF ON THE WATER

For the past few years, brands have been attempting to innovate by mastering the “directto-consumer concept”, which consists in acquiring in-depth knowledge of consumer expectations online and meeting demand with ever increasing speed, agility and custom service. But these sales models and direct contact with end customers have become a source of competition for the traditional B2B networks with attractive prices and profitable margins. EUROSIMA will therefore explore this trend on Friday, November 23, in Anglet, for a full day of conferences and workshops on this burning issue (at the Volcom Europe and Boardrider head offices). The event will be of interest to all companies and any professionals in the Boardsports, Action Sports and Digital industries. For more information: www.eurosima.com

Discover shared services offered through EUROSIMA and come meet out partner suppliers in Olatu Leku in Anglet on November 8, for the open doors. The event aims to provide members with all the tools they may need for the best possible company management. The event will include short, practical presentations, an exhibit area to meet specialists and various opportunities to get all the information you may need right from the suppliers themselves. For more details: www.eurosima.com

The research firm Nielsen Sports recently carried out a study for EUROSIMA on the consumption behaviours of Action Sports enthusiasts. In late August, the firm studied our 5 key markets in Europe (France, Germany, UK, Spain and Portugal). This research will help us increase understanding of our targets and their socio-demographic profiles. It also provides data on consumer behaviour and how our customers perceive our brands and what they expect of us… The results shall therefore provide a clear image to define the ties binding the population to our Action Sports industry. Find out more: www.eurosima.com

Get ready for another fun session of sports & networking. For the second “Aloha’Péro” of the year, EUROSIMA is partnering up with the Basque Yacht Club, Anonym Sup and Woo Outrigger to give members the opportunity to take part in a nautical challenge. The festive and friendly competition will involve 3 races in the Socoa bay, on 3 different water crafts: a giant SUP, a Hobie16 catamaran and the OC1 Kawan single-seater canoe. The challenge is for experts and beginners alike and all are welcome, so sign up for free to share a great time on the water with us. For registration and more information: www.eurosima.com

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GREEN HILL, REVEALING THE ALL-NEW BUSINESS INCUBATOR

A low-tech building, to open towards the outdoors, innovative with a firm anchor in its environment and territory. Half-way between a beach house and a campus start-up, Green Hill was designed in the spirit of boarsports to become the future business incubator in the Pédebert business park in Soorts-Hossegor. PLAN B, WINNER OF THE ARCHITECTURE CONTEST While construction work on the roads and access to the park continue as planned, an all new construction site is about to begin in 2019 in the Pédebert business park adding a full 8 hectares to include a business incubator and 17 lots available for construction. The project started in late 2017 when Plan B, an agency based in Hossegor, was selected as the winning candidate in the architecture contest to determine who would be responsible for designing the business incubator to be set in the North-east end of the park with plans to start construction in September 2019.

Out of 23 applications in the contest, three were shortlisted and presented to a jury that included local elected representatives and the President of EUROSIMA. A key element in the selection process was the fact that all applications were anonymous to jury members, who had no way of knowing which agency was behind which application. In the end, the Plan B project was selected with an overwhelming majority. The choice rewarded an architectural approach that showcased and remained in harmony with the local environment and territorial culture as well as an outlook that is strongly turned towards the future.

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well as to foster social interaction and networking. The selected project stood out for its quality in terms of how well it fits in the natural environment and its key location at the entrance of the new zone, with the various parts of the building designed to be set around the “tuc” a small mound that makes up the natural landscape. The innovative elements of the project were also decisive for the jury due to the project’s use of materials such as wood and polycarbonate and a low-tech building process for positive energy efficiency.

“It all started with the observation that given the various waves of internal reorganisations that occurred in the Action Sports industry, many executives had remained in the area but had nowhere to actually work or set up a business”, explains Pascal l’Herrant, Director of the MACS economic pole. “After that, MACS and EUROSIMA sat down to work on the issue. Based on evolutions of working habits in general, it became clear that we needed to offer working space that would meet the requirements of current economic needs in the Action Sports industry in terms of access, social interaction and transversality.” The incubator was designed to satisfy entrepreneur needs every step of the way on the path from setting up a business to full growth. At the center of the building will be co-working space surrounded by 1000 m2 of offices located along a vertical architecture over four levels. With a skate ramp, a ground floor, outdoor terraces, meeting rooms, a green café and sports field, the entire structure was designed for the best possible working conditions as

LOW-TECH INNOVATION “The first thing we suggested when we saw the location, was to keep the existing landscape and the trees and bushes at the entrance. The boardsports culture is at the heart of the project with lots of openings to the outside and an architecture that is made like beach-shacks to give a certain rawness to the front and side of the building. The fact that they all face the same direction is a reference to surfers scanning the horizon. In our project, we really tried to include boardsports values by naming the areas according to the different riding sports. Inside, we chose a vertical layout with an atrium, “The Tube”, which allows people to move physically and visually through the volume of the building. It includes a series of open walkways that provide access to adaptable co-working areas at the heart of the incubator, meeting rooms and living areas like the green café.

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We implemented low-tech solutions by using a structure made out of wood and polycarbonate to let in a lot of light and allow for a relatively passive building in terms of energy consumption.

did you know? EUROSIMA has been part of the development of this extension of the park and the creation of the incubator from the start. The association is part of the Piloting Committee of projects in partnership with local institutions and plays a key role in fostering growth and a certain dynamic business energy that this project will bring to the park. EXTENSION: LOTS SPECIFICALLY RESERVED FOR ACTION SPORTS BUSINESSES Though the budget may seem significant, it is not that surprising given the size of the structure. We had to find technical solutions while on a tight budget. We implemented low-tech solutions by using a structure made out of wood and polycarbonate to let in a lot of light and allow for a relatively passive building in terms of energy consumption. The innovation is not so much in the architecture itself as it is in the engineering. The innovation of the project also resides in the fact that the building was designed to attract a specific type of business, so as to concentrate a certain excellence and in that sense, therefore innovation is also to be found in the message the building conveys to the entire industry.” Léo Mary Architect at Plan B

The project to extend the Pédebert business park includes 17 lots that will be put up for sale in early 2019 for 120.00 € HT per m2. The lots shall only be available to businesses within the Action Sports industry. The aim of the Landes Department and MACS is to ensure a certain cohesion within the incubator and neighbouring companies. Job creation being a key element for the institutions, the objective will be to favour companies whose activities are in line with those of the incubator. Preference will be given to the setting up of new head-offices or manufacturing sites in order to establish long term manufacturing and sales activities. The project is currently in the final stages of the administrative process with the launch of construction set for September 2019 and project completion expected in 2020.

BEHIND THE SCENES

EXHIBITION: 5 YEARS ON THE ROAD Some images in surfing have become part of our collective memory and those of Tom Carroll on his semi-gun at Pipeline are quintessentially a reflection of the iconic era of surfing in the nineties. “I’ve always thought that, right there, at Pipeline, is where you see the real Tom Carroll”, his brother, reporter Nick Carroll, used to say about him. A World Champion in 1983 and 1984, the Australian surfer used photography to document his unique existence and that of the people he met along the way. The images presented in the exhibition for this year’s Waterman’s Ball give us a peek at surfing through the eyes of a man who has explored every side of the sport from Big Wave riding to competition. In spite of various injuries, including a serious knee injury at the age of 16, nothing could stop him from taking home all the prizes, though he did eventually have the darn knee replaced some 40 years later!

WHAT IS THE THEME OF YOUR EXHIBITION? This exhibition originated from a conversation with my brother Nick Carroll and my agent Nick Fordham, six years ago. We were thinking of doing a photography book but a collaboration with Canon Australia ensued in late 2016 in an effort to search through my archive with curator Ben Chadbond. There were no expectations from by Canon, who gave us the green light. We had to sort through a bunch of boxes full of slides covering a period from the late 70s all the way through to the digital age in the early 2000s. This exhibition scans over five years of travelling with a camera between 1980 and 1985. The

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20 images were hard to pick. I was way too close to them so I am deeply indebted to Ben Chadbond for his time, passion and understanding of what will lift off the wall.

events and recall the intensity and focus on performance which is intoxicating for me... this I would say is not “missing it” just an observation for me really. I do still follow certain athletes with great interest and allow myself glimpses and at times I draw inspiration from the many and varied performances.

WHAT KIND OF CAMERA WERE YOU USING AT THE TIME? The first camera I owned was a Canon AV1 SLR with a native 50mm1.8, Sigma 80-200mm zoom and a flash unit I bought in the electronic district Tokyo 1980. Soon after, this camera was superseded by Canon A1 and wider angle 24mm2.8. WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR LIFE AS A PRO SURFER ON THE TOUR? At first, I mostly missed the structure. Even today I watch

WHO WERE YOUR MAIN RIVALS AT THE TIME? Cheyne Horan as a junior, Shaun Tomson, Dane Kealoha and Rabbit Bartholomew initially as world champ rivals, then onto Tom Curren, Martin Potter, Mark Occhilupo, Barton Lynch, Damien Hardman, Gary Elkerton, Derek Ho and Sunny Garcia.

BEHIND THE SCENES

WAS STYLE MORE IMPORTANT IN THOSE DAYS THAN IT IS NOW? I don’t think so. I see that noncontrived style is ever present, ever changing and that there is still a deeply personal element, which is linked to the nature of surfing.

IN A WORLD THAT IS OVERWHELMED WITH IMAGES, WHY IS PHOTOGRAPHY STILL IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK? The frozen moment memory will serve us well when we have none left in our minds to offer. At first, this comment can sound remote and negative, but I urge you to at least attempt to not take it this way as it is becoming such a powerful all evasive fact that A.I. and its prosthetic brains will inevitably take over our own future as a reliable source of memory. If only to momentarily jolt ourselves back into our skins, still-photography may become more and more valuable as time moves us along. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO LATELY? My life still very much revolves around the ocean and surfing, thanks to my long term brand ambassador role with Quiksilver. I spent a good part of the past year in rehabilitation from two major surgeries though. I had a total knee replacement and shoulder reconstruction all on

IS THERE A PHOTOGRAPHER THAT YOU PARTICULARLY LIKE (OUTSIDE SURFING)? Reynolds “Rennie” Ellis (1940-2003 R.I.P.), a social documentary photographer who focused a lot on Australian society.

the right side of my body. So to have that behind me and being able to reintroduce surfing in my life again over the past few months has brought me unlimited amounts of joy! I feel like a grom again!

IS BIG WAVE RIDING STILL ON THE AGENDA FOR YOU? If I am to step back into the Big Wave arena it will be done very gradually. I have no plans other than to gently reintroduce powerful waves (which I love) to my newly repaired 56 year-old body. HOW DO YOU SEE SURFING TODAY? There is an unprecedented collective open mind around surfing today, we are seeing multiple craft and body

applications to riding a wave. Kai Lenny for example is a genius. It’s so incredible to see, especially when I reflect on where I came from, learning to surf in Sydney during the 1970s. Competitive surfing is certainly in a different place than where it was even three years ago. Except for one event this year, each WSL men’s event has been won by a Brazilian surfer. This is a furthering of the shift off an American/Australian domination towards Brazilian brilliance on a surfboard. Their infectious athletic energy and colourful beach culture orientation are in full “charge ahead” mode. We will be learning more from them along the way no doubt!

DO YOU STILL DO A LOT OF STAND-UP PADDLE? I would say today I go 30% SUP and 70% other styles of surfing. It’s not my main focus but I still love my engagement through Tom Carroll Paddle Surf product development and distribution with GSI.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO AGEING SURFERS? Don’t stop surfing! Please keep moving, eat good food, drink fine quality water. Immerse yourself in a fellowship with the ocean!

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WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON WAVE POOLS? Wave pools are part of our dream come true. They have been forever imagined by many and I can’t believe my senses when I am riding in one, especially at Surf Ranch! We have only just felt the beginning. That said, at this point, artificially created waves still have a long way to go to properly emulate the limitless power and beauty of the ocean. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SURFING BECOMING AN OLYMPIC SPORT? It’s a very interesting proposition for the IOC, ISF and competitive surfing. I like the idea and hope the Olympic Games keeps opening doors for the many countries who wish to participate.

WOULD YOU SAY THAT SURFING IS A WAY TO STAY YOUNG? The simple act of involving ourselves in a direct experience with nature will help optimise our physical and mental health. I have absolutely no doubt about how this element alone keeps us more alive than if we didn’t surf.

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

THE HYPE AROUND SURF PARKS

With the 2024 Olympics just around the corner, the race is on for surf parks in Nouvelle-Aquitaine to find out who will be the first to open a wave-pool. Three massive projects have been announced in the region. Whether in Lacanau, Bordeaux or Castets, each include a water park with an artificial wave to allow surfing, training and all related services.

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

SURFING IN THE CITY AND IN THE COUNTRYSIDE The Surf Park Bordeaux is an urban park expected to be built in Bordeaux Lac and which would aim to satisfy strong local demand in terms of users. It would also aim to welcome the national teams to prepare for the Olympics. The development team is still working on the most adequate technology while two other projects have been announced in the vicinity. In July, investor Pascal Dubos announced the “Le Park” project in Lacanau to be set over 17 hectares to include a skate bowl as well as shops and hotels for an estimated budget of 40 million euros. This project would enjoy the latest Wavegarden technology, like the other project announced in

early August for the Castets area, “Wavelandes”. This third and quite ambitious project would be located 40 minutes from the European surfing capital and seems to be the most advanced of the three projects at the time of printing. Bouygues Linkcity Sud Ouest is set as the promoter to manage construction for the entire project. The city actively supports this project for a wave pool in a 9 hectare aquatic park that will include a 27.000 m2 pool, allowing users to enjoy a variety of aquatic sports on an artificial wave that will also use the Wavegarden technology called “The Cove” by Wavegarden.

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

THE COVE: SPANISH TECHNOLOGY

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE INDUSTRY

This new generation of wave pools was developed in the heart of the Basque Country by Wavegarden. Awarded in 2015 by EUROSIMA for best innovation, the first version by Wavegarden was used successfully for several years at “Snowdonia”, the first real wave pool in Europe, located in Wales. Since then, the Spanish company has developed a new system called “The Cove”, which generates high quality waves and high frequency sets. With figures that would make any surfer swoon, the Basque surfers have clearly set themselves apart from the technology developed by Kelly Slater at Surf Ranch. Where Kelly offers a wave every 5 minutes, The Cove offers 1000 per hour. All the surfers who have tested it so far have praised the potential of such a tool.

From an economic perspective, the experience gained in Wales now allows us to validate this type of park as a valid business model. The economic benefits for the area in terms of job creation are also significant. In Castets, an estimated 200 indirect jobs are set to be created and the expected number of patrons is estimated around 180.000, half of which would be surfers. By bringing waves to a wider audience, artificial waves are therefore set to create new opportunities for hardware manufacturers as well as for the industry at large. It seems we are seeing the birth of a whole new segment in surfing…

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FLASHBACK…

Stephen Bell tells insideurosima.com his incredible story

Miky Picon riding towards victory at the EUROSIMA Beach Party

50 competitors in early September at the EUROSIMA Beach Party

Phil Grace in the Euroglass workshop

Quiksilver, the winners of the 2018 EUROSIMA Beach Party

“Construire son projet est une question d’adresse”

Entreprendre Créer Financer S’installer

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