Sporting-Sails

Sporting-Sails is an outdoor product company specializing in downhill and downwind innovations for skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, and surfing. The equipment lines are catered towards skateboarders, mountaineers, skiers, longboarders, snowboarders, surfers, and endurance athletes. The company sponsors professional athletes from the worlds of long distance skateboarding, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, and longboarding (including Adam Colton and Long Treks on Skate Decks).

Sporting-Sails
Private Company
IndustryRetail - Action Sports
GenreAction sports and outdoor gear
Founded2006
FoundersBrothers Nick & Billy Smith
Headquarters
Mill Valley, CA
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
ParentSukrafte, LLC (Surf + Skate = Sukrafte)
Websitewww.sporting-sails.com

History

Spring 2006, Mill Valley, California born brothers Nick and Billy Smith were looking for fireworks and schnapps in the attic of their grandfather's (Bill Smith Jr.) home in Vail, Colorado, when they discovered his "Ski-Klipper" invention from the late 1960s.[1] Nick and Billy Smith tested the drogue parachute/wingsuit flying-like device on skis before attempting to try on a skateboard in the hills surrounding the Marin Headlands and San Francisco, California. On a skateboard, creating drag at will by deploying the Sporting-Sail during the descent enabled Nick and Billy Smith to control their speed and stability on steeper terrain.

For many years Sporting-Sails was based in Ventura, California, close-by to Patagonia (clothing) HQ, where Billy Smith currently works full-time as their wetsuit developer.[2]

Currently, Sporting-Sails HQ's are back in the shadows of Mt. Tamalpais in Mill Valley, California.

Patents & trademarks

The Sporting-Sail logo was designed by California graphic designer, Connor Bondlow, in 2010 and resembles an image of a Flying Squirrel and the American Flag

April 6, 2010, the patent US US D613,360 S titled "Multi-Purpose Body-Sail with Swallow Tail" was issued by the USPTO to the family inventors of what is now referred to as the "Sporting-Sail," Bill Smith Jr., Billy Smith IV, and Nick Smith.

The trademarked phrase, "Reinvent the Descent" expresses the company's pursuit for inspiration and innovation.[3]

Environment

The company is a member of One Percent for the Planet international organization, founded by Yvon Chouinard. At least one percent of sales are donated to non-profit, non-governmental social welfare programs such as Surfrider Foundation and Save the Waves Coalition.

Awards

December 2010, Sporting-Sails won grand prize at the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies' New Venture Seed Competition at the USC Marshall School of Business.[4][5] Nick Smith, USC Alumni Class of 2011, pitched the Sporting-Sail business concept to top investors in the greater Los Angeles, California area and was awarded $12,500 to fund the idea.

Press

Sporting-Sails has been featured in TIME, The New York Times, LegalZoom, Bear Naked Granola, Patagonia, San Francisco Chronicle, Patch Mill Valley, PSFK, Los Angeles Times, Fox News Los Angeles, Discovery Channel, Mercedes-Benz, Marin Independent Journal, CBS Interactive Business Network, Kairos Society & NYSE, Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara News-Press.

References
  1. Wallace, Amy (May 14, 2011). "Innovation Gliding Across Generations". The New York Times.
  2. "Sporting-Sails: A Downhill Family Tradition". The Cleanest Line (Patagonia Inc.). Archived from the original on 2011-03-26. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  3. Donnelly, Sean. "The Sporting-Sail: Speed, Wind and Skateboards". TIME Magazine.
  4. "Los Angeles Times: Contests are a springboard for student entrepreneurs". University of Southern California. December 27, 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-02-26. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  5. "Contests are a springboard for student entrepreneurs". Los Angeles Times. Dec 27, 2010. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
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