Team News

Professional Surfer Ryan Helm Signs Landmark Promotional Endorsement with BP and recently
launched BP gasoline with Invigorate: Takes 2nd at East Coast Surfing Championships 

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 August, 2008 : - -  Virginia Beach - - Pro Surfer, Ryan Helm (Jupiter Beach, Florida) placed 2nd at the prestigious 46th Annual East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC) on Sunday (Aug 24th). Helm surfed to the top of the judging criteria, racking up enough points to narrowly miss the top spot by 1/5 of a point.

Eventual winner, Asher Nolan joked with Ryan prior to the Final, that he had the "magic wax". Ryan borrowed some of this wax before the heat, but later commented that he "apparently did not use enough of it".

The ECSC is regarded by many to be the premiere and defining contest on the East Coast and is also the longest running Professional (Pro/Am) Event in the region. In addition to the $10K first place purse, the winner also takes with him the usual "bragging rights" of being 'Top Dog' on the East Coast.

The event is strategically scheduled to take advantage of the peak Hurricane season and this event did not disappoint with contestable 3-4' waves courtesy of Tropical Storm 'Fay'. The win did not come easy for Nolan with Helm matching him move for move and just missing the top spot by the narrowest of margins in what turned out to be an 'Olympic Style' "Photo Finish". Unfortunately for Ryan, Nolan had the "extra 1/2 finger nail" to finish out in 1st Place.

This event comes on the heels of a landmark promotional endorsement that has been inked between the prodigious Helm and BP. Ryan will be an official Spokesperson for BP to promote BP gasoline with Invigorate that helps cars run younger for longer. The BP Team Invigorate features 3 marquee and extraordinary "Endurance Athletes", (all over the age of 30) that have extended their careers by staying "younger for longer".

At 34, Ryan is the youngest and only surfer amongst an elite group that includes a 'Mount Everest' Mountain Climber and an extreme Marathon Runner. For more on Team Invigorate and the new BP gasoline with Invigorate, visit bpinvigorate.com.

The sport of surfing has witnessed a number of surfers extend their careers in recent years; most notably with 36-year-old Kelly Slater (Cocoa Beach, FL) leading the pack by chasing his 9th World Title in 2008. Many Pro Surfers, like other professional athletes have endorsed a healthy lifestyle that includes eating the right foods and vigorous cross training to maintain top fitness and peak performance.

Ryan uses "Stand-Up-Paddle Boarding" (SUP) to keep in shape when the waves are down. He claims to be in the "Best shape of (his) life" and his recent 2nd place "photo finish" to a "20 something" Asher Nolan shows that his lifestyle choices are paying off - and he is " staying younger for longer"!

In between professional competition and chasing Hurricane swells during the "Hurricane Chasers Expedition", Ryan can be found at his 'Native Surf School' in Jupiter Beach Florida.

Ryan Helm's marquee sponsors include BP gasoline with Invigorate and Quiksilver..

About Ryan Helm -- Recent Event Accolades

Sunday August 24, 2008
East Coast Surfing Championships Virginia Beach, VA
# 2 Men's Pro Division

Saturday May 14, 2008
Fort Pierce Pro-Am Invitational
#1 Pro Men's Division (Short Board)
#1 Pro Longboard Division
#1 "Highest Scoring Wave" (and over-all Heat) of the event
Final Scoreline: 9.1 out of 10.00 points and 8.5 out of 10.00 points

April 2008
Quiksilver Treasure Coast Pro (Skins Event) Stuart, Florida
Over-all winner Pro Division: 5 Skins
"Winner” 1st Ever (Florida) Professional Stand-Up Paddleboard (SUP) Contest

2008 ECSC Final Results (Pro Division - Podium Finish)
1) Asher Nolan
2) Ryan Helm*
3) Kyle Garson
4) Aaron Cormican

www.RyanHelm.com
www.bpinvigorate.com
www.NativeSurfSchool.com

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Mark Hartman

Team - Surfersvillage