Say “I Dew”

By Michael Benninger

Carlsbad home.” src=”https://www.pacificsandiego.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Screen-Shot-2014-10-27-at-3.56.15-PM.jpg” alt=”Kerr, at the beach near his Carlsbad home.” width=”579” height=”385”>

After achieving fame as a two-time Air Show Champion and maintaining a Top 10 rank on the Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour, surfer Josh Kerr recently added the title Surf Ambassador to his resume.

In September, Mountain Dew - the soft drink brand synonymous with the action sports lifestyle - named Kerr, a native Australian and longtime Carlsbad resident, the brand’s first official emissary in the surfing industry. To celebrate the partnership, Kerr and Mountain Dew are launching a program for surf teams at UC San Diego and Cal State University San Marcos.

“To be the first Mountain Dew surf ambassador is an honor,” says Kerr, Encinitas.” src=”https://www.pacificsandiego.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Screen-Shot-2014-10-27-at-3.58.02-PM.jpg” alt=”Kerrzy film premiere at La Paloma Theater in Encinitas.” width=”393” height=”262”>”and to launch this program focused around my hometown of San Diego is an ideal way to kick it off.”

Mountain Dew is providing funding and support for the teams, collaborating with Kerr to develop custom surf gear. The company also sponsored Kerr’s recent film project, Kerrzy, which premiered on local college campuses and at Encinitas’ La Paloma Theater earlier this fall.

“It’s a fun program that offers the next level of inclusiveness and participation,” says Kerr. “Hopefully the students will get the added support to keep pursuing their passion for surfing.”

Kerr and Mountain Dew are also hosting an Instagram contest, asking fans to share their best shots of SoCal surf spots via the hashtag #DewSanDiegoSurf. The winner, to be chosen by Kerr himself, will receive gifts, gear and the opportunity to tour one of San Diego’s top surfing destinations with the ambassador himself.

Follow Kerr on Instagram (@josh_kerr84) and Facebook (facebook.com/joshkerrsurf) for more details and look for his custom surf stuff, developed with Mountain Dew, at Rusty retailers throughout San Diego.

1. “Out front of my house in Carlsbad with my kids and friends.”
2. “DMJs [Del Mar Jetties] for fun step-offs on the jet ski.”
3. “Blacks Beach offers such rippable waves, and I’ll usually run into Rusty [Preisendorfer] catching the wave of the day.”