SIMA Names Waterman's Ball Honorees
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association will honor three-time world surfing champion Andy Irons as Waterman of the Year at its annual Waterman’s Weekend environmental fund-raiser, to be held Aug. 26–27 in Dana Point, Calif.
SIMA, the San Clemente, Calif.–based trade association that represents some 300 surf companies, also will present the Environmentalist of the Year Award to Chris Evans and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Larry “Flame” Moore.
Irons—with his 2002 and 2003 Pipeline Master, Triple Crown and ASP World Champion titles—became the only surfer to win all three competitions two years in a row. He will join the ranks of Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton and others who have received the Waterman of the Year Award since SIMA began bestowing the honor in 1993.
Evans served as the executive director of the nonprofit Surfrider Foundation for five years and helped to introduce the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Clean Health Act, which mandates national water testing. He also helped create a marine protected area in Rincon, Puerto Rico.
Moore, Surfing magazine’s first photo editor, held the position for 26 years and produced more than 43 cover shots. He continued to be involved in photography and surfing while battling a brain tumor.
The fund-raiser, which will be held at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa in Dana Point, will benefit the SIMA Environmental Fund, which has raised more than $2.3 million for environmental groups in the past 16 years. Last year’s event drew more than 850 people and raised $350,000 for ocean conservation groups.
For more information, call Melinda Carter, SIMA’s event manager, at (949) 366-1164.
—Khanh T.L. Tran
