The Gudauskas are no longer with Vans

One of the longest relationships in the surfing industry today comes to an end

January 3, 2024

Cover photo: The Gudauskas in Hawaii by WSL/Heff

Brothers Dane, Patrick and Tanner Gudauskas and Vans are no longer part of the same family, they announced on their Instagram on the last day of the year.

The reason for the separation is not explained in the posts in the case of the three but it is presumed that it has to do with the strong blow that the company has experienced in 2023.

In November of that year, VF Corp, the parent company, announced the layoff of 500 employees, according to Shop Eat Surf. “The layoffs come as VF’s new president and CEO, Bracken Darrell, looks to accelerate the recovery of the company’s Vans and overall North American business, while cutting costs,” the website reported at the time.

Vans had also withdrawn in 2023 from sponsoring the US Open of Surfing, an event that had long been associated with them, but the industry in general pointed out that this withdrawal was due to poor treatment with the WSL.

The three thanked Steve Van Doren, son of the founder of Vans and two emblems who remain with the brand: Joel Tudor and Nathan Florence.

Still on the team are Puerto Rican Dylan Graves and South African Michael February as brand leaders.

At a regional level in Latin America, there are only a few surfers sponsored by the brand, the Brazilian Tomas Hermes is one of them, as well as the López sisters and the big rider Cristian Merello in Chile. In Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Ecuador and Central America, the brand does not have a strong presence in terms of a team of sponsored surfers.

In Spain Ainara Aymat and Ander Mendiguren are the main references of the brand.