Boardwear giant, Rip Curl, has won the battle for 19 year-old Dillon Perillo. He will now join Mick Fanning and Owen Wright as one of the key members of the men's surf roster. Perillo has been on a tear for the past few years both competitively and coverage wise, and the surf industry has taken notice. Translation; more than one of "The Big Guns" wanted to ink him. Perillo had previously been with Hurley, and there's no shortage of money over there, so you know he walked away with some coin, which the Malibu kid will need if he ever wants to buy a place in his hometown.

"I am super fired up to be a part of Rip Curl and everything they are about," Perillo said, right before he left for the South Pacific to join a Surfing Magazine trip. "Rip Curl is what I want to be representing and be associated with. I can't wait for what is to come."

How does Rip Curl feel about all this? "It's rare to come across a young surfer with a combination of competitive drive, effortless style, and vibe on land like what Dillon Perillo has going on," said Rip Curl USA marketing director, Dylan Slater. "I look forward to seeing him become one of the leading faces for Rip Curl, while being pushed by guys like Fanning and Owen."

There you have it, another big contract is signed in pro surfing sponsorship land, which are becoming increasingly hard to come by these days. The one good thing about this recession is it may boost the level of surfing; since there's less money to go around that is. You know, the guys who have the major deals are plenty aware of all the guys who want them. It's like that old saying of why Communism never worked. "If everyone is getting paid the same amount to make chairs, what's the incentive to make a quality chair."