After 3 years and over $1M spent on television production the Ocean Thunder program is finally returning an investment for the sport of Surf boats. Thanks to those team stake holders, who have become our licensed team partners, we now have in stock over 12 hours of high quality, action packed surf boat footage.

Although we enjoy seeing our beloved sport of surf boat racing here in Australia we are still a long way on the back shelves to be recognized as a national major sporting property, not like AFL, NRL, Cricket, Horse Racing and the new kid on the block, and racing up the charts, V8 Supercars. Even if we secured a few million dollars and prime time TV, we would be so lucky to hit the top 20.  

Purely by luck however we are attracting a curious global market, Ocean Thunder has been produced here in Australia for international export and all our programs are reaching an untapped television viewing audience, in some cases the English speaking commentary has switched to foreign language.

Our unique surf sport, a true Aussie icon, is having an impact to the world through our 2 year distribution rights agreement (free of charge) with the worlds biggest water sports producer “Pro Active Television”. This summer in the Northern Hemisphere, Ocean Thunder 2007 and 2008 with a total of 8 x 1 hour episodes will be featured internationally, a total potential worldwide audience 365+ million.

Our feed back from expatriates overseas has told of Ocean Thunder activity on screens, in Dubai, India (during prime time Cricket coverage) China, USA, (New York Times Square big screen), Singapore, Malaysia, and almost every country throughout Europe, the program has even been viewed on “In Flight TV” British Airways international flights. Back here in Australia we have feed back from party revelers at night clubs, commentary turned off, just music pumping across the surf rowing visuals.  

With the inaugural “Ocean Thunder International” (World Cup) scheduled for Biarritz (France) this September we have over 9 countries attending, (3 years back here in Australia we had only our friendly Kiwis and maybe a crew from Sth Africa). Because of Ocean Thunder coverage we can now boast up to 70 crews competing, and most will not be surf lifesavers. The new crews are European based still water teams, who appear to believe that this is a new rowing phenomenon called “Surf Rowing”. Strangely enough we will see many Olympic rowers fresh from Beijing rowing surf boats; in fact the head French Olympic Coach has entered 12 man team for Surf Boats in Biarritz.  

As we approach year 4 we look for continued opportunities to advance the Ocean Thunder Pro Surf Boat Series format for the betterment of all surf boat rowers, one day we hope to bed down a corporate partner with the likes of our Iron Man cousins (Uncle Toby’s) with funding to elevate our prime time event coverage and at the same time maintain grass roots level of support such as our “young guns” (under 19 & 23). In sport of Surf Boats we want this young group to grow with aspirations to compete at the highest elite level, that is Ocean Thunder.