Compiled by
Craig B. Snyder
Wave Rider was a quarterly surfing publication from Florida that launched in 1975. Based in Cocoa Beach and founded by
Gunnar Griffin and
John Griffin, two brothers from the Space Coast, the publication had a successful run for nearly seven years until the early 1980s. Staff photographers included
Rob Battipaglia, Joaquin Garcia and
Larry Marshall.
Wave Rider not only covered the international surfing scene but offered more inclusive coverage of the East Coast of the United States. In 1976 they became a heavy hitter when they co-sponsored the
Florida Pro, a spring competition at
Sebastian Inlet that was achieving international fame. From the start, they also gave skateboarding some needed recognition. In 1976 their regular skateboarding feature, "Skateboarding Traffic," was turned into its own dedicated publication. Known as
Skate Rider, it was literally published back-to-back with
Wave Rider, sharing the same spine. This was a smart move in ways, as they were able to save some printing costs and distribute this new magazine quickly using the same channels already established by its surfing publication. By the 1980s there was trouble on the horizon. A declining audience and decreased revenue from ads made it difficult to keep their doors open any longer.
Skate Rider was the first to disappear, followed by
Wave Rider after the 1981-1982 recession achieved full swing.
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