Quiksilver downsizes (bigtime)

Much like in Gossip Girl, nobody in the surf industry right now is safe. Nike and Analog both pulled outta surfing late last year, and now news has broken that Quiksilver has severely downsized its program. Earlier this morning Transworld Biz dropped the bomb on their site, stating that around 30 staffers, entire brands and numerous team riders were being cut from Quiksilver US. “The cuts were made during a multi-day process, which forced this article to be taken down as members of the Quiksilver umbrella of brands had not all been notified when we originally published this piece this morning,” TWB later amended. So who’s affected? Most surfers on the Quik US program, including men like Reef McIntosh and Freddy Patacchia, are now sponsorless. Sensibly, Dane Reynolds and Kelly Slater are safe (as is Mark Healey. Craig Anderson and Steph Gilmore are also solid). Balaram Stack, 21 years old and New York’s best surfer, has been riding for Quiksilver since he was 14. Five days ago, he was happily sponsored, headed up Oz’s north coast to hang out at the Quiksilver Pro, Snapper. And then… “I got a phone call four days ago,” Balaram says. “A friend from Quiksilver was just like, ‘I don’t know how to tell you this, and I’m really sorry but I just got an email with a list of names I gotta call and you’re on the list.’ And that was basically it. He was bummed. He was the only guy left that I really dealt with. They’d cut everyone else I’d known forever. I haven’t heard anything about DC, but I guess they’re all the same deal.” With his immense presence on the North Shore over the last two winter seasons and, let’s be honest, the fact he’s from New York, you’d wanna think Balaram won’t have too much trouble moving on. The move will also see the skate program (except for Tony Hawk) and the snow program (except for Travis Rice) cut. There’s also rumours that the Waterman Collection, the VSTR brand and Dane Reynolds’ Summer Teeth have been set aside. DC, who are owned by Quiksilver, have cut their US surf team and entire BMX team. It’s also been confirmed that DC Womens, Quiksilver Womens and Quiksilver Girls have all been cut. So, like, who’s next? – Elliot Struck