Vans Duct Tape Invitational Travels to Portugal

The Vans Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitational longboarding series will make its triumphant return on European soil this month coinciding with the Duct Tape Festival, at the small fishing village of Ericeira, Portugal on May 16-19. Situated along a coastline of outstanding surfing beaches, this powerful and reliable surf spot has transformed peaceful Ericeira into a surfing mecca.

Beginning May 16, the Vans Duct Tape Festival will gather a unique community of surfers, artists and shapers in Ericeira to engage with the local surf community in collaborative ways. For its debut in Portugal, the Duct Tape Festival will take over in full-effect, bringing world-class men and women long boarders together in two separate competitions for the first time in Europe, with equal prize money awarded in both divisions. Last year’s European winner, Andy Nieblas, will be joined by a whole raft of talented riders from the Duct Tape longboarding community including rising stars Eurico Romaguera, Diogo Appleton, Kaniela Stewart and Jack Lynch—alongside renowned icons in logging, Alex Knost and Justin Quintal. The women’s competition we will see a diverse mix of talent across the board, with familiar names such as Karina Rozunko, Victoria Vergara and Honolua Blomfield all vying to be crowned the inaugural European champion of the women’s Duct Tape Invitational.

The Vans Duct Tape Festival will also welcome four internationally revered surfers—Harry Bryant, Ivan Florence, James Parry and Ainara Aymat—who will present a library of their own hand-shaped custom surf boards to share with the public and live permanently at local surf shop, 58 Surf Shop. Led by these four influential surf talents, the three-day beach festival will feature surf sessions, live music, board shaping, beach clean-ups, movie screenings including Sambal 2, as well as interactive art and photography exhibitions hosted by the local community.

The Vans Duct Tape Festival will offer an extensive array of music programming throughout the three-day event, including Vans skate legend John Cardielperforming amongst exciting bands Sunfoot, Mighty Sands, Kepa, Lee Ann Curren, Sun Flowers, Alek Rein, Ditch Days and many more.

In support of a diverse and inclusive surf environment, fans and spectators are encouraged to join Vans, the Duct Tape competitors and the featured guest shapers to engage and participate in all the festivities, and to surf alongside these inspiring names. 

The first-ever Duct Tape Festival debuted in 2017 with a mission to bring together an international collective of people inspired by surfing, and to celebrate progression and creativity in surf culture by engaging special communities around the world that thrive by the sea.

Follow @vanssurf for updates on the 2019 Vans Duct Tape Festival in Ericeira, Portugal.

Vans Duct Tape Festival Schedule:

May 16, 11:30am - Vans Duct Tape Invitational Qualifiers for Men & Women
May 17, 11:30am - Duct Tape Festival Opens - Live shaping & workshops + Invitational Semi Finals for Men & Women
May 18, 10:00am - Duct Tape Festival Opens + Invitational Finals for Men & Women + Live Music

Vans Duct Tape Invitational Invitees

MEN

Alex Knost 
Andy Nieblas 
Ben Considine
David Arganda
Diogo Appleton 
Eurico Romaguera 
Jack Lynch 
Jules Lepecheux 
Justin Quintal 
Kai Annetts
Kai Takayama
Kaniela Stewart
Saxon Wilson
Tom Payne
Troy Mothershead
Zack Flores

WOMEN

Chloe Calmon
Hallie Rhor
Honolua Blomfield
Ivy Thomas
Justine Mauvin
Karina Rozunko 
Kassia Meador
Kelia Moniz
Kelis Kaleopaa
Lola Mignot
Makala Smith
Maragux Arramon-Tucoo
Pandora Decoster 
Sierra Lerback
Tara Franz
Victoria Vergara

+ Featured Guest Shapers for the Vans Duct Tape Festival:

Ainara Aymat
Harry Bryant 
Ivan Florence
James Parry
Nathan Fletcher