Tourism Tofino Welcomes the O’Neill Coldwater Classic Canada Professional Surfing Competition Back to West Coast Vancouver Island, British Columbia,…

SANTA CRUZ, CA and TOFINO, BC–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  O’Neill www.oneill.com, leading the way in surf products and apparel since 1952, and Tourism Tofino, a British Columbia destination marketing organization, today announced that the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada 2010 www.oneill.com/cwc — Canada’s only professional surfing competition sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals www.aspworldtour.com — will again be held in Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island from October 9-15, 2010.

In its second year, the O’Neill Coldwater Classic utilizes a mobile format allowing competitors to take advantage of the best available surfing conditions at various beaches in each competition location. Should wave and wind conditions warrant, this year’s O’Neill Coldwater Classic Canada can be expanded beyond the District of Tofino to include beaches within Pacific Rim National Park Reserve — a Parks Canada protected area comprising three units — Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to build on the success of last year’s Cold Water Classic Canada event with the potential inclusion of the impressive surfing beaches in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve,” said O’Neill Global Event Manager, Bernhard Ritzer. “A major goal of the competition is to provide challenging experiences in spectacular locations for the world’s best surfers. The Tofino area fulfills that goal perfectly.”

“Obtaining permission to extend the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Canada 2010 event into Pacific Rim National Park if weather or wave conditions are not ideal in Tofino is testament to the respect participants and spectators gave to Tofino’s pristine beach areas during last year’s competition,” said Sharon Lingenfelter, Executive Director of Tourism Tofino. “Tofino is looking forward to once again welcoming the O’Neill team, competitors, sponsors, spectators and members of the media to this world-class event marking the beginning of our famed Storm Watching Season.”

Fourth in the five-part World Qualifying Series (WQS) of competitions, the O’Neill Cold Water Classic is held in Tasmania, Scotland, South Africa, Canada and Santa Cruz, California. Each location attracts more than 140 professional surfers competing for $145,000 US. Last year’s Cold Water Classic Canada event was won by local Tofino surfer Peter Devries who dominated the competition taking the top prize of $20,000 US.

The O’Neill Coldwater Classic Canada 2010 event will culminate with a concert in Tofino featuring iTunes 2009 “Best New Artist” Mishka who is the ambassador for O’Neill’s new eco-friendly apparel line, ECO’Neill. 

About the O’Neill Coldwater Classic www.oneill.com/cwc
One of the most highly anticipated surf events in the world, the O’Neill Cold Water Classic comprises four 6-Star and one 4-Star ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) events held in spectacular surf spots on four continents.

For location information and daily contest updates, please visit www.cwc.tourismtofino.com.

About O’Neill www.oneill.com
O’Neill, the original Californian surf, snow and 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 set of core values — innovation in style and technology — has seen the brand devote itself wholeheartedly to the evolution of action sports. 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 spirit of innovation will always drive the company forwards. Today, O’Neill can be found the world over.

About Tourism Tofino www.tourismtofino.com
A division of the Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Tofino is a not-for-profit destination marketing organization (DMO) that promotes Tofino’s extensive destination attributes, local events and hospitality industry businesses. Tourism Tofino also partners with other tourism organizations to create awareness of regional tourism initiatives for visitors world-wide.

About Tofino
Tofino is a year-round travel destination on the rugged west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Bounded by the open Pacific Ocean, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Tofino is known for its miles of pristine beaches, variety of accommodation types, unique culinary experiences and unparalleled adventures, including whale and wildlife watching, saltwater and freshwater fishing, surfing, kayaking, boating, hiking, and winter storm watching.

About Pacific Rim National Park
Pacific Rim National Park is a thin strip of land along the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island. Its magnificent islands, beaches and dramatic seascapes divide into three geographically distinct park units: Long Beach (the most accessible), Broken Group Islands (about 100 islands in Barkley Sound), and the challenging 75 kilometre West Coast Trail. The first federal-provincial agreement for Pacific Rim was signed in 1970 and re- negotiated in 1987. It established Pacific Rim as a national park reserve subject to the comprehensive claim of the Nuu-chah-nulth tribal Council and the Ditidaht and Pacheedaht First Nations. The park comprises a total area of 500 square kilometres stretching across the 125 kilometres from Tofino in the north to Port Renfrew in the south.

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