Starboard and the Tikiman

In the Maori mythology, the Tiki symbolizes the first man on earth, together with the first woman 'Marikoriko'. The Maoris also gave large wooden and stone carvings in a roughly human shape, bearing the name - 'Tiki'. These carvings are set up to mark boundaries of sacred or significant sites. 

In the western world, the Tiki as a symbol itself seems to be very fashionable and presumably stands for a 'surfy', free lifestyle. It doesn't only bedeck bodies as a tattoo, but also decorates surf-shops as posters or figures and provides a popular motif on surf-related clothing. 

Starboard brought the 'Tikiman' into windsurfing by choosing it as their logo several years ago. In the same way as the brand itself, this logo has now developed and become more colorful, more eclectic and on closer inspection you'll notice even more detail.

The same thing you can detect in Starboard's dream-team. Give it a closer look and you'll find talented riders from all over the world with the potential of becoming world champion one day. World class windsurfers of all disciplines and also upcoming talents, the brand-managers chose to lay their trust in. This fact leads straight to the associations that any windsurfer gets when they spot a Tikiman. They see top riders in freestyle (Kiri Thode, Bjorn Saragoza, Nicolas Akgaziyan, Dieter Van der Eyken, Philip Soltysiak, Sarah-Quita & Quincy Offringa, Taty Frans, Jamie Drummond), as well as riders who dominate in other disciplines (Daida & Iballa Moreno, Björn Dunkerbeck, Boujmaa Guilloul, Philip Köster and Alice Arutkin just to mention a few). 

 

We asked two Starboard riders, one international and one national, of their associations with the Tiki.

 

Jamie Drummond (UK): 'The Tikiman instantly associates with Starboard in my mind and for me it stands for the freedom you get with windsurfing- whether it is in board-shorts or a thick wetsuit - it is still exhilarating to get in the water and do the thing I love. With regards to the brand it means I feel part of the best team out there!'

Philip Soltysiak: 'When I see the Starboard Tiki it reminds me of a brand known for innovation, quality, and the best windsurfing boards around.'

With the past years Starboard's Tiki-man gained the connotation of a successful team, a progressive development and a unique design. For sure we can also expect a lot from the dream-team and the Starboard shaping bay in the future, which is aiming to provide the best gear for every level. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner in this sport or an expert, Starboard will still deliver the perfect gear to guarantee you the most fun on the water.