TEAHUPO'O, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Friday, August 18, 2023) - With the completion of the WSL Championship Tour (CT) regular season this week at the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro pres. by Outerknown, the inaugural Vissla CT Shaper Rankings program has come to a close and San Clemente-based Mayhem Surfboards, led by Matt Biolos, has bested a global field of elite board builders to claim the 2023 Vissla CT Shaper of the Year award.
A season-long, combined men's and women's ranking, the Vissla CT Shaper Rankings measures the performances of the world's best surfers on the 2023 WSL Championship Tour across the 10-event regular season, counting results in the Quarterfinals or better for their respective shapers.
"At first, I tried not to put too much thought into it. Obviously, it's great that the WSL and Vissla wanted to shine a light on all our work, but I wanted to keep the focus on the surfers. We work just as hard on the boards, regardless if the surfers are winning or losing. As the season progressed, our crew was doing well, I still didn't want to highlight it. It felt like bragging and I didn't want to jinx our surfers, but then I realized that so many fans and friends were following and paying attention. Talking about it and wishing us luck! So, although I don't believe it makes our brand or our staff any better than other brands or shapers that were in the mix, it does feel good to have our team perform and have a spotlight on our passion and craft. Definitely need to thank my main backup shapers, Jeff Widener and Chris Kaysen, as well as Gian Bernini (Team Manager), Mike Kinna (Team Glassing), and the entire staff at Lost Surfboards. Of course the Surfers: Griffin Colapinto, Yago Dora, Ian Gentil, Gabriela Bryan, Caroline Marks, and of course, our MVP, Carissa Moore, who all contributed to the point total. This is really about them, all stepping up and having a stellar season, each and their own. Thanks to the WSL for highlighting all us builders and Vissla for supporting it." - Matt Biolos, Mayhem Surfboards Founder and Lead Shaper.
Leading Mayhem's surfer team are five-time WSL Champion and current WSL No. 1 Carissa Moore (HAW), WSL Final 5 combatants Griffin Colapinto (USA) and Caroline Marks (USA), and contributing team members Yago Dora (BRA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW) and Ian Gentil (HAW). A globally-respected board builder for multiple decades, Matt Biolos and Mayhem Surfboards now get to add 2023 Vissla CT Shaper of the Year to their list of accomplishments, be honored at the WSL Awards in Hawaii in January and be treated to a stay and surf at Surf Ranch Lemoore, courtesy of the WSL and Kelly Slater Wave Company.
An international community of 20 different shapers and their respective board building teams designed, crafted and delivered surfboards for all the CT competitors this year. Throughout the 2023 CT season, the Vissla CT Shaper Rankings spotlighted which equipment performed at the highest level most consistently and provided a behind-the-scenes look at the people that making up the shaping community.
While the 2023 Vissla CT Shaper Rankings has come to a close, the world's best surfers will culminate this season at the World Title-deciding Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lower Trestles from September 8 - 20, 2023.
To learn more about the CT Shaper Rankings, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
About Vissla
Vissla is a brand that represents creative freedom, a forward-thinking philosophy, and a generation of creators and innovators. We embrace the modern do-it-yourself attitude within surf culture, performance surfing, and craftsmanship. We constantly strive to minimize our environmental impact and protect the oceans and waves that raised us. This is a surf-everything and ride-anything mentality.