On its first visit to America, China’s Olympic surf team picked up its first U.S. corporate sponsorship in San Clemente and engaged in a friendly surf competition with the NSSA champion San Clemente High School surf team.
“It was a learning curve for them,” SCHS surf coach John Dowell said of the Aug. 16 visit. “It was their second day in California. I think it was eye-opening for our kids too, interacting with another culture. They’ve invited us to go to Hainan Island next year. We’ll see if we can put something together.”
Electric, an action sports eyewear and accessories brand based in San Clemente, hosted the team at its headquarters. San Clemente High surfers stopped in to greet the visitors and play some ping-pong.
Eric Crane, Electric’s CEO and a former San Clemente High surfer, handed out endorsement sunglasses and accessories to the visiting surfers.
“We gave them some custom SurfMore leashes,” Dowell said. After a picnic lunch overlooking Calafia Beach, the assembled surfers paddled out at Riviera Beach for a friendly surf-off.
China, where surfing as a homegrown sport is just beginning to take hold, has formed its team to compete in the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. Surfing will make its Olympic debut then. Coaching the Chinese team is Peter Townend, a former world professional surfing champion from Australia who settled in Orange County decades ago.
Electric announced in a news release that it provided the visitors with a fully branded, decorated Chinese Olympic team van for the duration of their travels in Southern California, and Electric will continue its support for the team as Townend helps to raise China’s talent level in preparation for the Olympics..