Josh Kerr Parts Ways With Long-time Sponsor, Rusty

This morning, Josh Kerr had no trouble dusting his round two opponent, Adam Melling, with a pocket of sevens at shifty Backdoor. Which, in itself, is nothing remarkable – Kerrzy is a wildly rounded surfer, having won the Todos Santos Big Wave Challenge in January, and of course owning a (well-documented) set of Quiksilver Airshow trophies from the early 2000s. But what was strange about the heat, was the absence of the Rusty sticker which has been glued to Kerrzy’s nose for the last decade and a half. Why? Because he and the company have parted ways.

“No more Rusty,” he revealed when prompted by Rosie Hodge about the fresh real estate. “I had 15 years with them, 15 amazing years, and I thank them for that, but unfortunately, the industry today, there’s not much money to be handed out. So yeah, now I’m moving on to see what the next chapter brings. I’m pretty excited, and looking forward to all the doors that open in the future.”

Image: WSL

They certainly were 15 amazing years, coloured with films, trips, and a symbiotic relationship in which Kerrzy made the brand look killer, and Rusty facilitated a charmed lifestyle for Kerrzy. But as he said, it ain’t the golden years for the surf industry anymore. Everybody must work harder for less money (your ‘champagne taste on beer budget’ pals at Stab, included!). But at this transitional moment, Kerrzy is in the advantageous position of not only being a beast of variety, and owner of the ability to go viral (a highly valued skill in the social media age), but also, in your Stab correspondent’s opinion, one of the most personable pro surfers in the world.