Hall of Fame Becomes Presenting Sponsor of Surf Expo’s Shape-Off
Charlie Bunger to be Honored At 2026 “Champions Challenge”
ASBURY PARK, NJ, December 29, 2025 – Following the recent addition of surfboard builder Ricky Carroll to its Board of Directors, the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame is pleased to announce it has agreed to become the Presenting Sponsor of the Surf Expo Shape-Off, created by Scott Bass in San Diego, then introduced to the East Coast by Carroll in 2008. The Shape-Off is held annually during Surf Expo with the 2026 edition to take place during the 50th Anniversary trade show, January 7-9 at the Orlando Convention Center.
This year’s competition is billed the “Champions Challenge,” and will feature eight winners from previous editions of the Shape-Off, who will honor one of the all-time greats of East Coast surfboard building, Charlie Bunger. Over three days, each shaper will work inside a portable shaping bay stationed on the trade show floor as show attendees look on. After all boards are completed, a panel of judges, led by Carroll, will select the most accurate rendition of a Bunger design 1970s single fin swallowtail, and a cash prize purse and bragging rights will be awarded.
Charlie Bunger shaped his first surfboard in 1961 and built Bunger Surfboards into a Long Island, NY and East Coast powerhouse. He was inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame in its inaugural Class of 1996 and the International Surfboard Builders Hall of Fame in 2013. Bunger continued to shape and manage his business until late in life, passing away in 2018, leaving his sons to continue the surfboard and retail operations.
“I am truly excited about the coming Surf Expo Shape-Off,” remarked Carroll recently, “as the man we are honoring is a true legend of East Coast surfing. The invited shapers are highly skilled and successful craftsmen, which will make it very competitive, although a lot of fun, too. I’m also happy the Hall of Fame has stepped up and funded our new Perpetual Trophy, which will carry the engraved names of all prior Shape-Off Champions and will be presented to the 2026 winner by East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame President Gary Germain.”
The eight invited shapers include:
Hall of Fame president Germain followed up, “Thanks to Ricky Carroll for his hard work and dedication producing the Shape-Off every year since 2008. It proves that Ricky is an industry giant, dedicated to promoting surfboard brands and those who build them. His mission with the Shape-Off is in perfect sync with the mission of the Hall of Fame – honoring the greats of East Coast Surfing.”
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