Aspiring Filmmaker Becomes Leading Face of O’Neill Wakeboard Athlete Team

April 6, 2010 (Irvine, Calif.) – O’Neill (www.oneill.com), the original surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, has added another world-class name to its roster of athletes with the signing of Collin Harrington, arguably the world’s best all-around wakeboarder.  Harrington joins other top O’Neill wake riders, including Scott Byerly, Nick Taylor and Aaron Reed.

The 27-year-old regular footer from Orlando, Florida has been riding for 12 years, performing awe-inspiring tricks on his wakeboard, wakeskate and wakesurfer.  Known for proficiency on rail maneuvers, Harrington regularly channels his creative style from the water to filmmaking, where he has produced, edited and released a number of online videos through Liquid Force Films.  Recently awarded 1st place at the 2010 West Side Jam, Harrington is also a dedicated surfer, competing as the only non-pro surfer in the 2009 O’Neill Sebastian Inlet Red Bull Tow-At contest in Florida.

“Collin is a great addition to our team – he loves the water, approaches his sport with energy and enthusiasm, and is one of the best riders in the world, hands down,” said O’Neill VP of Marketing, Steve Ward.  “Not only does he excel on the wakeboard with technical aerials, rolls and rail tricks, but he also gets behind the camera to share his passion for the sport with others.  Then the next day, he’ll be out on a surfboard or scuba diving off the Florida coast.  His athletic talent and other passions in filmmaking and water sports make him a triple threat as a team ambassador.”

With solid wins at the World Wakesurfing Championships, Wake Awards and AST Dew Tour Rail Jam under his belt, Harrington released his first full-length video in 2008, “Box of Fun,” which he starred in with other top wake athletes to ‘bring the fun back to wakeboarding.’

“I’m excited to join the O’Neill wake team with guys like Scott [Byerly] and Nick [Taylor], who are both from my home area in Florida,” said Harrington.  “O’Neill has been in the wake program for a long time, and it’s great to be with a company that’s in it for the long haul.”

“I’ll be sporting O’Neill gear now, but my approach remains the same: try something new each time I’m in the water, and feed my passion for films to spread our sport around the globe.”

In addition to O’Neill, Harrington has sponsorship deals with Liquid Force, Freestyle and Performance Ski & Surf.

For more info and to check out upcoming Collin Harrington videos, visit www.oneill.com

About O’Neill

O’Neill, the original California surf, snow and youth lifestyle brand, was founded in 1952 when a young man named Jack O’Neill took his unstoppable passion for surfing and used it to beat Mother Nature at her own game. Pioneering the world’s first neoprene wetsuit, Jack had successfully found a way to extend his surf sessions in the bone-chilling breaks of Northern California. He opened up the garage doors to his first surf shop in Santa Cruz soon after.

While many things have changed since those humble beginnings, Jack’s initial vision of producing functional and innovative boardriding products continues to lie at the core of everything the company does. O’Neill’s core values – innovation in style and technology – have seen the brand devote itself wholeheartedly to the evolution of the action sports lifestyle.  From the first ever neoprene wetsuit and surf leash, to the world’s first stitchless boardshorts and range of groundbreaking wearable electronics, O’Neill’s progressive spirit will always drive the company forward.

For more information, please visit www.oneill.com