Ian Cairns Named Head Coach for PacSun USA Surf Team

With a surfing career of over 40 years, Ian Cairns has one more title to add to his resume: Head Coach of the PacSun USA Surf Team.

Surfing America announced on Wednesday, June 24, that Cairns had been appointed to the Head Coach position vacated by Joey Buran, who held that title for the past two years. Buran, who had a SURFER Magazine cover shot in 1984, left the position in good standing to work on a worldwide tour for his new documentary film Beyond the Dream: The Joey Buran Story.

Cairns will have little time to adjust to his new role as he prepares the USA Surf Team for the 2009 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games at Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica, on August 1-8.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of helping the terrific young USA talent improve their surfing skills and again be extremely competitive with the Australians, Hawaiians and Brazilians,” Cairns said

But Cairns is no stranger to the role of the surf coach. For the past two years, his primary focus has been coaching many top American athletes on the ASP World Qualifying Series.

“Ian Cairns is a powerhouse coach and Surfing America is extremely fortunate to have someone of his caliber step into the role,” said Mike Gerard, Surfing America’s executive director. “Not only does Ian bring a wealth of experience to the position, but he also has some incredible new ideas and concepts that will surely help lift the USA Team program to new heights.”

Among his many accolades, Cairns won six World Tour events, represented Australia on their National Team twice, and placed 2nd in the world when organized rankings were first introduced in 1976. Cairns shifted his focus in 1983 to event production, starting the OP Pro, which led to the founding of the Association of Surfing Professionals. After a brief return to Australia, Cairns came back to the United States and began heading the PSAA, leading to the beginning of the US Open of Surfing.