2006 Quiksilver Surf Shop Challenge

(Huntington Beach, Calif.) March 21, 2006 -- Quiksilver, Inc. (NYSE:ZQK) -- Quiksilver (www.quiksilver.com), the world’s boardriding industry leader, and Surfer magazine today announced the 2006 Quiksilver Surf Shop Challenge presented by Surfer magazine, thanks to the returning roster of sponsors dedicated to ensuring that this surf series is the best of its kind: Sector 9 Skateboards, DC Shoes, ASR, Surf Expo, Board Retailers Association (BRA), and WaveWatch.com.

The 2006 Quiksilver Surf Shop Challenge presented by Surfer magazine marks the third year of an ongoing effort to give core surf shops the opportunity to not only showcase the talent of both team riders and employees alike, but drum up some much-deserved recognition. A $10,000 award, the richest prize purse for any competition of this sort, adds fuel to an already raging inferno. With the money and a year of bragging rights on the line, the Surf Shop Challenge invites surf shop team members to “bring their game” from behind the counter out to where it really matters—in the water. Regional competition will take place from April through August, with the final event culminating in September during the ASR (Action Sports Retailer) Trade Expo at a location to be determined.

The 2006 Quiksilver Surf Shop Challenge presented by Surfer magazine will feature 114 teams competing across four regions (Maine to South Carolina, Texas to Georgia, all of California, and Hawaii) for a chance to take the title and replace the 2005 champion, Pacific Vibrations (Big Island, HI), as the top surf shop in the country. Regional winners will secure a position in September’s National Championship Round and receive a wealth of sponsor product prizes, as well as a half-page advertisement in an upcoming issue of Surfer. The national champion will claim the $10,000 winner-takes-all prize purse and a full-page color advertisement.

New for 2006 will be the addition of the DC Most Progressive Surfer award which will provide a $250 cash prize to the shop employee that pushes the envelope at regional challenges and $1,000 during the National Championships. Additionally, the West Coast event will combine all of California with a maximum of 42 teams into a two-day event at Newport Beach’s 54th Street. For the first time since the event’s return, the National Championships will be a stand-alone event at a yet to be determined beach in Southern California, promising to blow up.

"Nobody has more fun talking smack about their competitors than guys and girls in surf shops, so it’s great to have an event where everyone can come together to put their pride on the line,” commented Surfer Editor Chris Mauro. “There's no better validation of your shop’s roots than having them win the Surf Shop Challenge."

Quiksilver’s Surf Marketing Manager Strider Wasilewski added, “The Quiksilver Surf Shop Challenge is an insane issue of pride, brotherhood and camaraderie between the coolest core surf business community and its surfers. Quiksilver is constantly looking for ways to bring our core surf community closer together and the QSSC is a great way to do this. Let’s see if Hawaii and Pacific Vibrations can repeat? Or will it be the West Coast? East coast?!”

Originally conceived to provide a fun and competitive format for the hardcore surf shop riders, the SURFER Shop Team Challenge was one of the most popular and exciting Southern California contests of the early 1980s. After several years on hiatus, the competition made a wildly successful return two years ago as the 2004 Quiksilver Surf Shop Challenge.

“The Surf Shop Challenge is a fun, grass-roots event that brings back the rivalries among surf shops in each area,” said Surfer Publisher Rick Irons. “It means a lot to the people in it and reputations are on the line. This should be a great year as the talent pool at each shop keeps rising.”

For more information, please visit http://surfermag.com/events/qssc06/.