Cypress, Calif. June 28, 2017 – Clarion Corporation of America, a leader in consumer and commercial mobile electronics, including marine audio and multimedia systems, announced today that it has signed world-champion skimboarder and pro wakesurfer, Austin Keen, as a brand-ambassador for the company’s award-winning line of rugged and powerful marine-grade multimedia audio systems and accessories.

“Spending so much of my time on boats, I have grown to notice and appreciate the quality of Clarion’s marine audio systems. Wakesurfing sessions and spending time on the water with friends is made even better with great music cranking out of Clarion marine radios and speakers,” said Austin Keen. “I only endorse and support brands that are connected to my lifestyle. Clarion has been in the marine space a very long time, and their commitment to developing the best marine audio systems, components and accessories makes them a stand out brand in the market. They also have a creative approach to marketing that I find exciting. I look forward to working with Clarion to expose a new generation of watersports enthusiasts to the Clarion brand and its long list of innovative marine-focused products.”

Austin Keen has made a name for himself through his bona fide personality, lifestyle, and unsurpassed wave-riding skills. In 2007, Austin drove his 1975 BMW 2002 from Tybee Island, GA to Laguna Beach, CA to follow his dream. Two years later, Austin competed in his first professional skimboarding contest and went on to tour Australia, Bali, Brazil, Costa Rica, Japan, Mexico and Philippines. In 2013, he was crowned World Champion of Skimboarding after competing in the eight-stop international, United Skim Tour Circuit. In 2014, he was listed in SurferToday.com’s Most Influential in Wave Sports next to greats like Kelly Slater. Then, in 2015, Keen branched out into a new sport – wakesurfing. In addition to multiple action sports and lifestyle magazines, Austin has become an internet sensation, starring in dozens of viral videos. In 2016, Austin won the 40th Annual Victoria World Championships of Skimboarding in Laguna Beach. He now strives to push the sport to new limits, helping promote and grow skimboarding around the world.

As a brand ambassador for Clarion’s marine division, Austin will be a key contributor in expanding the brand’s awareness and reach among a new-generation of watercraft and watersports enthusiasts. Clarion’s sponsorship of Austin, combined with the company’s commitment to support his craft and lifestyle, is expected to ignite excitement for the Clarion brand and its marine products among Austin’s fans, friends and followers, all of whom are at the forefront of the trends impacting today’s marine lifestyle. To that end, Clarion recently greenlit the production of a successful music video for up-and-coming rock band Funk Shui Planet that was filmed aboard a Clarion-equipped wakesurf boat and featured Austin Keen performing stunts and hanging out with the band.

“From his champion attitude and genuine love of being out on the water, to his dreadlocks and overall cool, laid back personality, Austin doesn’t just appeal to, but effortlessly embodies the essence of, today’s watersports and marine enthusiast,” said Allen H. Gharapetian, Vice President of Marketing and Product Planning at Clarion Corporation of America. “Our marketing team is looking forward to working with Austin to integrate his cool style and presence into our marine marketing activities, while leveraging his keen audio interest and lifestyle to design innovative new products that appeal directly to his diehard fan base.”

Austin will be working closely with Clarion USA’s marketing team to script and produce lifestyle-oriented content, including videos. He will also participate in Clarion’s marine marketing activities in both traditional and social media categories including support of industry events on a national scale. Austin is also expected to work closely with the company’s product planning team to design new products and solutions for today’s very active marine lifestyle and trending applications.

Designed to deliver remarkable sound quality and provide ironclad resilience to the elements, Clarion’s robust line of purpose-built marine-grade multimedia products are engineered for the extreme environments and exhaustively tested to ensure each can withstand extreme marine environments. Recognized by the industry for their benchmark durability and reliability, every Clarion marine multimedia audio system, component and accessory endures a battery of character defining tests. By replicating prolonged UV exposure, simulating the humid saltwater environment and rigorously testing for thermal shock to imitate quick changes in temperature, Clarion ensures that its entire product line-up can withstand the rigors of harsh marine environments, season after season.

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For the full story on their trip, check out the feature story here >>

The post SHOREPOUND | A North Shore Adventure appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Wakeboarding is an escape for all of us, whether we’re just learning to carve or charging into double-ups. Part of that escape is also being captivated by what’s possible. What’s possible in terms of tricks? What’s possible in terms of locations?

Winching in Hawaiian barrels might be a pipe dream for most, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be dreamed about.

WBM: How did this trip come about? How long was it in the making?

Grubb: Parks and I have been going to Hawaii in the winter time for the last few years. Nick has a place in Maui so we’ve been meeting up with him to surf and do a bunch of fun stuff on the islands. We all talked about winching in the surf but could never line up a winch when the conditions were right. We all knew we wanted to get back out there this past winter and make it happen in some good swell.

In December we started working out all the details. Parks lined it up with Jamie O’Brien to use his winch, and we found a good place to stay.

We shopped the idea around but didn’t get much support at first, so we decided to just pay for it ourselves and make it happen. We would self produce it, and we knew it would pay off in the end. We got Bryan Soderlind and Austin Keen on board too, so our crew was dialed and made all the expenses cheaper too.

When word got out about the whole crew that was going and a great looking swell forecast, we got the support we needed!

WBM: What was the highlight of the trip?

Parks: I think the highlight of the trip was getting to watch the back door shoot out from Jamie O’Brien’s dad’s porch… It was some of the best pipe I have ever seen.

Grubb: The highlight for me was winching the shore break when it was big and just detonating on the beach. It takes so much effort to winch in those conditions. You only get 5 or 6 pulls an hour and the winch driver has to time it just right to get you in the perfect spot. I got a lot of waves but had two that stand out in my mind where everything came together almost perfectly.

WBM: Who caught the best barrel?

Grubb: That’s a close one between Parks’ cover shot and Nick’s backhand barrels. I love how Parks is dragging his hand on the roof and looking so casual but also loved watching Nick getting it on a wakeskate!

Parks: I think Nick Taylor did. He had some backside barrels that were insane. Grabbing his rail in big blue caverns… Bear got some great shots!

WBM: Favorite set… at Keiki Beach or Waimea Bay?

Parks: Keiki Beach for sure. I have never winched shorepound like that before! I have been to that beach many times, looked at it and said to myself, “How insane would it be to ride there?!” It was so scary and fun at the same time.

Grubb: Without a doubt it was the Keiki sessions. Everyday the waves were a different size and always changing, which we loved. We did Waimea mostly because we had time when the waves were too big and closing out at Keiki’s. It was a fun little rail at Waimea, but honestly, if the conditions would have been right at Keiki’s we would have been there all day everyday!

WBM: Who was the MVP of the trip?

Grubb: Everyone killed it on this trip. We had a great crew, but I’d probably have to give it to Bear. He obviously shot amazing photos the whole trip, but he’s got a great vibe and is high energy all day. He’d always encourage us to get one more if needed to make sure we nailed it. Those memories we made will last forever through his images and now in the pages of Wakeboarding Magazine.

Parks: I say Bear. He got some of the most amazing pictures I’ve ever seen. He even got a sequence of Koa Rothman’s wave of the year! He is the most talented photographer I have ever worked with. MVP… Or more like MVB.

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The post 2017 Liquid Force KEEN Wakesurfer appeared first on Wakeboarding Mag.

Austin is supported by Liquid Force and OneWake.

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