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Episode #24 (English).

Guest: Wilco Prins, co-founder T&C Surf Designs Europe, former Rip Curl Europe CEO and EuroSIMA President

Wilco Prins is a pure product of Dutch youth who, much like all the other kids in Europe at that time, got into action sports in the 80’s and 90’s through windsurfing, skateboarding and eventually surfing.

One fine day of 1992, his passion drove him all the way to French beaches, where he discovered our waves and the lifestyle he’d read about in surfing magazines.

After starting out at Rip Curl as an intern (waxing boards for Patrick Beven for a photo shoot), he quickly climbed the corporate ladder: first as Footwear Product Manager for Europe, then Head of the « wetsuits and footwear » division, then « Core Division » Manager (products and sales) and in 2013, he became the company’s CEO. 

At the head of one of the leading companies in the industry, the Dutchman also took over for Fred Basse as EuroSIMA President, becoming, for one term, the spokesperson for the entire European action sports industry.

After the Torquay-born brand let him go in 2019, Wilco bounced right back, giving a « re-birth » in Europe to another iconic brand : T&C. This new adventure, both so similar and so different from the last one, was once again driven by the same passion for boardsports and a genuine knack for business. Relaunched post-Covid, the brand with a strong Hawaiian heritage has found itself a new place in retail as well as in the hearts of consumers. This is thanks to a strategy boosted among other things, by unique collaborations, like recently with Fursac.

Wilco sat down with us for a chat to talk about his many years at Rip Curl and his new experience with T&C. Along the way, he shares his analysis of the industry, markets and customer expectations and discusses the challenges that we’ll all have to face in upcoming years.

A fascinating episode with a key player in our industry.

Recorded in the MACS premises in St Vincent de Tyrosse on April 3rd 2025.

Editorial production: EuroSIMA
Animation: Romain Ferrand / Rémi Chaussemiche
Technical production: Fred de Bailliencourt
Photo: Stéphane Robin

/// Français \\\

(Episode en anglais)

Wilco Prins est un pur produit de la jeunesse hollandaise qui s’est prise, comme tous ses voisins européens, la vague des action sports dans les années 80 et 90 à travers le windsurf, le skate puis le surf. Une passion qui conduisit un beau jour de 1992 l’intéressé jusque sur les plages françaises pour y découvrir nos vagues et le lifestyle vanté par les magazines de surf.

Rentré chez Rip Curl Europe en 1997 en tant que stagiaire (« en waxant les planches de Patrick Beven pour un shooting photo ») il y gravira les échelons à une vitesse fulgurante : chef de Produit chaussure Europe, chef de la division « combinaisons et chaussures » puis responsable de la « Core Division »(produits et vente). Il deviendra finalement PDG de l’entreprise en 2013.

A la tête d’une des plus importantes entreprises de l’industrie, le Hollandais succèdera au passage à Fred Basse à la présidence de l’EuroSIMA, se faisant également - le temps d’un mandat - le représentant et le porte-parole de la filière.

Remercié par la marque de Torquay en 2019, il rebondira rapidement en faisant renaître sur le Vieux-Continent une autre marque iconique : Town & Country. Une nouvelle aventure, à la fois similaire et très différente de la précédente, mais guidée par cette même passion pour l’univers de la glisse et une appétence forte pour le business. 

Au micro d’Inside EuroSIMA, Wilco revient en détail sur ses longues années chez Rip Curl puis chez T&C, tout en partageant son analyse de l’évolution de l’industrie, du marché, des attentes des consommateurs, mais aussi des challenges à relever dans les prochaines années. Un nouvel épisode passionnant, avec l’un des acteurs phares de notre industrie européenne.

Bonne écoute.


Wilco Prins: brands, blanks & trends

“Perhaps the Holy Spirit is calling you to bend; to break; to be beaten and moulded by his word and his Spirit. He may be enlarging you and reshaping you, stretching you to shape you for his purposes.”

THESE RADIO PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY KIND DONATIONS OF SURE REALITY VISION PARTNERS. TO PARTNER WITH US VISIT, https://www.surereality.net/become-a-vision-partner/

This radio programme has been sponsored by:

CHRISTIAN APPAREL TN, faith-based top-quality tees, hoodies, sweatshirts and accessories.
https://christianappareltn.com/

Sheshela Shakan Network
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING...
https://www.sheshelashakan.org/
.................................................
A Sure Reality production
http://surereality.net

#GTWD 351 - God-tracking is being malleable in the hands of the Blacksmith of Heaven

"Take courage, the Lord may be enlarging you or reshaping you, stretching you as seems best to him. God’s ways are always for you are good, even when it seems the sparks begin to fly!"

THESE RADIO PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN MADE POSSIBLE BY KIND DONATIONS OF SURE REALITY VISION PARTNERS. TO PARTNER WITH US VISIT, https://www.surereality.net/become-a-vision-partner/

This radio programme has been sponsored by:

CHRISTIAN APPAREL TN, faith-based top-quality tees, hoodies, sweatshirts and accessories.
https://christianappareltn.com/

Sheshela Shakan Network
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING...
https://www.sheshelashakan.org/
.................................................
A Sure Reality production
http://surereality.net

#581 - God-tracking is being malleable in the hands of the Blacksmith of Heaven

Free dll
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Basic shape [Free dll]

Soul of love


 R3YWYA es un proyecto basado en el ruido de la artista Evija Ābrama, centrado en la improvisación sonora como medio para explorar la comunicación y el papel del ruido en los entornos espaciales. A través de su trabajo, Ābrama adopta una perspectiva ecoacústica, tratando el sonido no solo como material, sino como una red dinámica de relaciones espaciales. Sus composiciones revelan ritmos que tanto interrumpen como reflejan las texturas ambientales del entorno, ofreciendo una reflexión matizada sobre cómo el sonido habita y transforma el espacio.
R3YWYA forma parte de la plataforma SHAPE+ para música innovadora y arte interdisciplinario.
Descripción de la emisión:
 Mi nombre es R3YWYA (reivija), soy  música de noise cuya práctica se basa en la escucha profunda de la música y en responder a ella en el momento, creando paisajes sonoros a través de la improvisación. En mi trabajo, a menudo recurro a cassettes antiguos encontrados en tiendas de segunda mano, ya que resaltan el acto de escuchar con atención —ese momento en que realmente escuchamos y comprendemos lo que alguna vez fue grabado, o empezamos a percibir esa información antigua como algo completamente nuevo. Este enfoque también está presente en mi pista más reciente, que se escucha al inicio de esta pieza radiofónica, y que utiliza un cassette titulado Pulgarcita, que contiene canciones de Ēriks Vilsons y Valdis Zilveris, originalmente compuestas para la producción de Pulgarcita en el Teatro de Liepāja. De este modo, el trabajo no solo transporta una narrativa, sino que también reflexiona sobre cómo las historias que una vez leímos o escuchamos pueden, con el tiempo, desvanecerse en ecos —enfatizando la naturaleza fluida y cambiante de la memoria.
En la segunda parte de la pieza, se puede escuchar una grabación en vivo del festival de música industrial “Kūcvāls” de este año, donde tuve el honor de actuar como una de las artistas invitadas. Este fragmento captura mi práctica en aplicación directa: un momento sin filtro de escucha, reacción y moldeado del sonido en tiempo real, rodeada por la energía cruda del ambiente del festival.


SHAPE14: R3YWYA

Latino Bambino

Simulation

Another sound for your set or live performance

Rogy

Dudley Anderson was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. After graduating from Bible College in 1990, God opened the way for Dudley to branch out into Christian radio. As a musician and worship leader he developed a heart for Christian music, which became the main thrust of his radio work in South Africa. 

 In 1996 God called Dudley and his family to the United Kingdom where he now works as a radio programme producer and presenter. Dudley also writes a FREE weekly e-mail devotional called, GodTracker, available at surereality.net

Dudley Anderson is married to Karen-Leigh and has two adult children, Kerryn and Ryan.

E-mail Dudley at dudley@surereality.net

Versatile and energetic DJ with 12 + years of experience performing across clubs, festivals and private events in Europe. Known for dynamic sets blending house,deep,tech, progressive and electro with seamless transitions and crowd-reading skills. Skilled in music production, live remixing, and building immersive sonic experiences.

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. https://soundcloud.com/high_school_drop_outz
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