The Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational series returns to Surf City as part of the Vans US Open of Surfing to host both a men’s and women’s division. Former Longboard world champion and surfing icon Joel Tudor, invites 32 of the world’s most creative longboarders to showcase their style and innovation on the famed shores of Surf City, USA.
The Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational will be broadcast live through WSL with a 3-day window during the weeklong celebration of elite professional surfing. As a part of the Duct Tape Invitational, riders can create their own board to compete on under a specific set of guidelines.
Surfers must use traditional, single fin logs without modern attachments and no interference allowed. Additional points are rewarded for best-shared wave, encouraging surfers to ride the same wave with style and creativity.
© WSL / Morris
Truth be told, the Duct Tape Festival isn’t about creating the most finely-tuned surfboard. It’s about embracing the do-it-yourself ethos that surfing culture was built on and having a fun time while doing it.
Throughout the duration of the Vans US Open, the Duct Tape Fest will have a psychedelic board shed on the sand, just south of Huntington Beach’s Tower 3. Inside will be a quiver of boards shaped by teen style-master Tosh Tudor, skateboarder Austin Kanfoush, Kauai-raised shredder Leila Hurst and, of course Dane Reynolds. Even if the whole lot of boards shaped by the Vans team are a bit too “experimental” for your taste, there will be boards built by local Orange County shapers guaranteed to work in the Huntington waves. All of the boards will be free to ride from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m all week at the US Open. Then, on August 4th, you’ll get an opportunity to talk with the shapers themselves about their designs.
The Duct Tape Festival is more than making a traditional board, it’s more about experimentation, creativity and having fun with the design.
What design will come out on top? Watch the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing all weekend through next weekend to find out.