Nike Returns to Surfing, Signs Italo Ferreira

“Making one more dream come true: to have one of the most coveted brands in the world on my board. This is more than a personal achievement; it's about connection to the history of great sports heroes and a real weightlifting family. This is a very special moment in my professional career!

“Joining this team gives me the strength and courage to keep facing obstacles and walk the way to the top. In advance, I thank my team @if15sports for their work and performance in the past months.

“We did it”

(Although not Instagram official yet, it appears that Nike has also entered – or rather, rekindled – a relationship with Australian rising star, Sierra Kerr.)

If you’ll recall, this isn’t the first time that Nike’s dipped its sneakers into the surfing realm. They previously sponsored the likes of Kolohe Andino, Carissa Moore, Julian Wilson, and others under the now-defunct “6.0” arm of the company. They dropped videos, sponsored events, etc.

As the surf world continues to delve into new, somewhat uncharted territory when it comes to the legacy brands relinquishing their grip on top-tier athletes, could this be a new dawn for Nike surfing?

Air Jordans Ferreiras coming soon? TBD.