Waterman's Ball Returns In-Person At The Ranch In Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH, CA—The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association's annual gala is back in-person at The Ranch in Laguna Beach on August 14. The 31st Waterman's Ball will raise money for SIMA's Environmental Fund, a nonprofit organization that benefits 15 ocean conservation groups, including the Ocean Institute, Orange County Coastkeeper and the Surfrider Foundation.

Dinner, dancing, and silent and live auctions will occur outdoors on The Ranch's Sage Patio. While guests will be limited to 170, the buzz generated may be over the top, as the honorees include an Olympic Gold Medalist, a Laguna Beach born-and-raised surf culture legend, and a trio of creative brothers.

Waterman of the Year fittingly goes to Carissa Moore, a four-time world champion surfer who also just became the first-ever Olympic gold medalist in the sport. The Hawaiian-born Moore turned in a stellar week of surfing in Tokyo to easily win the sport's inaugural event at the 2021 Summer Games.

“SIMA is thrilled to honor Carissa Moore with a long-overdue award as Waterperson of the Year,” said Paul Naudé, President of SIMA and CEO of Vissla. “Over the past decade, Carissa has spearheaded a new brand of women’s surfing that has now earned the respect of all surfers globally and inspired a whole new generation of young female rippers.”

The Harper Brothers, Ben, Joel and Peter, will be honored as Environmentalists of the Year. The brothers grew up surrounded by music at the family's Folk Music Center and Museum in Claremont, California. Artistic endeavor and environmental philanthropy have defined their lives. Ben is a Grammy winner, Joel has translated his love of surfing and the ocean into children's books and films, Peter combines sculpture and music to conserve our oceans.

“The Harper brothers are a renowned, close-knit trio of musicians and artists. Known globally for their engaging music, it’s their incredible spirit and soul that sets them apart. Their inimitable style and commitment to environmental causes is a joy and benefit to all,” stated Naudé about this year’s Environmentalists of the Year.

Laguna Beach native Dick Metz is this year's Lifetime Achievement honoree. Metz has changed surf history through his worldwide quest for waves. His friendships and collaborations with such notables as Hobie Alter led to a sea change in surf retail. Along with Spencer Croul, he co-founded the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center in San Clemente. At first, it housed his lifelong collection of vintage boards, but now its mission is to preserve surf culture for generations to come.

That's just a thumbnail of Metz's legendary deeds.

At age 7, Metz began to surf at San Onofre. In 1958, he set off on a 3-year surf sojourn that included Tahiti, Australia, Southeast Asia, India and South Africa. Upon returning to the States, he regaled Bruce Brown with tales of his adventures. When Brown was filming The Endless Summer, he made connections at the best breaks around the globe thanks to Metz's trailblazing.

“Dick Metz is a surfing legend who got the ball rolling for international surf travel and adventure that is now an integral part of Surf Culture. He is a visionary [who] introduced modern surfing to numerous secondary nations and also played a leading role in defining modern surf retail,” said Naudé. “Along the way, he also had the foresight to collect and preserve what is the finest, most extensive collection of historically significant surfboards and memorabilia in the world. After decades of being immersed in surf, his story-telling is unequaled.”

Meet all five of these surf pioneers at the 31st Waterman's Ball.