Ace Buchan Named WSL PURE Award Winner For Outstanding Ocean Advocacy 2019

We are honored to recognize Adrian "Ace" Buchan as the winner of the 2019 WSL PURE Award For Outstanding Ocean Advocacy. The award recognizes the individual surfer who demonstrates the greatest impact and outstanding efforts to inspire, educate, and empower our global surf community to protect our ocean.

In the past year, Buchan was active and vocal about so many environmental issues, with WSL PURE and many other stellar non-profit organizations, as well as on his own personal platform. Buchan even took a personal trip to Tasmania to highlight deforestation of the Tarkine, an incredible, and important region of old growth forests.

Ace Buchan WSL PURE Award Reaction

6:21

Ace Buchan reacts to being recognized with the WSL PURE award for Outstanding Ocean Advocacy

In addition to the trophy itself, WSL PURE grants $25,000 to a non-profit partner of the winner's choosing. Ace chose Climate Council -- Australia's leading climate change communications organisation. Climate Council is a timely selection, in the wake of the tragic bushfires of 2019-2020, and ahead of this year's fire season.

The award itself was designed by the WSL Creative team and, of course, was produced with sustainability in mind. "This award is meant to be a conversation piece about the beauty of materials that are deemed waste. During the construction of surfboards there are many waste streams that unintentionally build on themselves leaving behind a marker of time, like rings in a tree." Said Marc Sanchez, of Reeco Surfboards, who produced the trophy. "One of the most beautiful of these materials is the excess resin that is pulled away when laminating a surfboard. This award is made from upcycled surfboard resin, reclaimed wood, scrap fiberglass and bio based resin. Shaped in a way to show the layers that make up the solid chunk and therefore individual surfboards and their coinciding colors."

Adrian Buchan competing at the 2019 Billabong Pipe Masters. - WSL / Ed Sloane

We look forward to getting the award into Ace's hands, and seeing what he does next. "That [award] is going to take a place right up there next to my spear that I won at Teahupo'o." Buchan said. "Obviously, the Tour is about competitive excellence, but I think there's so much more than that there that's on offer and to be recognized for spending time on things other than beating people in the jersey feels really cool."

"And I think a big part of that," Buchan continued, "as we spoke about trying to create a legacy for not just my children, but for the next wave of surfers that come onto the tour and to show them that you can use your platform to influence and inspire positively."

Congratulations Ace! To hear more about athletes, activism, and life beyond the jersey, don't miss this special WSL PURE | One Ocean podcast episode. recognizing outstanding ocean advocacy with Ace Buchan.