Quiksilver Rides A New Wave: Surfing, Reggae, and Royalty Collide in Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The international surfing brand Quiksilver is making a definitive splash in the Caribbean, betting big on the region’s burgeoning surf culture by weaving together the threads of high-performance athletics, fashion, and the island’s most famous export: reggae music.

Australian pro surfer Lungi Slabb (l) enjoy a fun moment with musician Zion Marley (c) and Jamaican surfer Elishama Beckford in Portland, Jamaica. Photo: QuiksilverIn a move that signals a significant shift in the global surfing spotlight, Quiksilver has officially signed Jamaican National Champion Elishama Beckford as a brand ambassador. To celebrate the partnership, the brand orchestrated a unique cultural exchange, flying Australian pro free surfer Lungi Slabb to the island.

The result was a short tour that blended world-class waves with the deep roots of Jamaican music, guided by none other than musician and Bob Marley’s grandson, Zion Marley.

For Todd Saunders, Creative Director of Quiksilver Global Marketing, the initiative was about recognising the “magic” that has long been simmering beneath the surface of the Caribbean.

“It’s a privilege for Quiksilver to work with surfing communities from around the world, parts of Polynesia where talent has long been identified, to more emerging areas like the Caribbean,” Saunders stated. “We have always followed Elishama and his career coming up through the program here at Jamnesia in Jamaica. Our eyes have been on the Caribbean in general, and Jamaica in particular.”

Saunders noted the organic connection between the sport and the local lifestyle. “As someone was saying over the last few days that we spent, reggae is the soundtrack to surfing. And so many people are already living in this frequency, this vibe that is shared across the global surfing community.”

The synergy was palpable when Slabb arrived to link up with Beckford and Marley. “We thought what a wonderful time to bring in Lungi Slabb from Australia, who shares so many things culturally, style of surfing, and of course, music,” Saunders added. “With Shama (Beckford), they connected with their friend, Zion Marley, so the last few days have been described as a flow, as a vibe. To be able to document that and to shine a light on the magic that is surfing in the Caribbean globally, the privilege is ours.”Zion Marley (l) getting some surfing tips from Elishama Beckford in Portland, Jamaica.

The tour wasn’t just about catching waves; it was about inspiring the next generation. The group visited the eastern parish of Portland, where they engaged with local youth, an experience that Beckford says is the true measure of the partnership’s success.

“Quiksilver supporting a Jamaican surfer and somebody from the Caribbean is a big deal,” Beckford emphasised. “More than just for me, yesterday we were in Portland, and we saw how the young kids were inspired by that. You see it in their eyes that they see the potential, and they see the possibility, and that’s one of the biggest angles for me. I love moments like that. It’s a full circle. We are just looking forward to continuing to grow, chasing waves.”

For Slabb, the island left an indelible mark. He expressed his admiration for the local talent and the vibrant culture, even setting his sights on a monumental goal for the region’s surfers.

“I love the island, the vibe, and the culture,” Slabb said. “There is a lot of talent here. I hope that one day a surfer from the Caribbean can make it to the Olympics.”

The connection was further solidified by the presence of Zion Marley, who linked the adrenaline of surfing to the creative flow of music. Speaking to the group’s dynamic, Marley noted the deep parallels between riding a wave and riding a rhythm.

“It’s special because the Marley family does a lot of outreach, and this is just another form of bringing people together and showing the one love mentality,” Marley explained. “I was able to show them my world a little bit and show them the music side of things. What they feel when they’re riding the wave is the same thing I feel when I’m, for lack of a better word, riding a beat or riding a rhythm.”

He continued, describing the experience as a “flow state.” “It’s inspiring to see the fearlessness that they both carry in them that allows them to do the sport to their utmost ability without the comparison part. It’s more so a fun, free-flowing, loving thing. You have to love it first to really do it, and it showed me that we’re more alike than we truly think.”

Adding a commercial layer to the cultural fusion, Quiksilver has recently launched a new apparel line featuring the Bob Marley collection through the Marley family foundation. The collaboration represents a full-circle moment for the brand, marrying the iconography of reggae legend with the dynamic sport of surfing.

As the Caribbean sun sets on this historic collaboration, Quiksilver seems poised to ride this wave of “natural mystic” far into the future, cementing Jamaica as a cornerstone of the global surf community.