HISTORY

Port M acQuarie is renown for producing a solid crew of bodyboarders including World Champs Kingy and Eppo. AHere’s Chris Apps about to fly at Northwall. Apsy was one of the best local riders throughout the late 90′s early 2000s photo Stroh

 

 

Cronulla boy to the core, Wingnut sports a Clubbie hat from the local life saving club. Circa late 90′s photo Stroh

 

 

Young Toddy grew up at Port MacQuirie one of the most competitive areas when it comes to producing bodyboard champions in Australia. When this shot was taken early 90′s Toddy looked like he was the road to being the next big thing in the sport. Photo Stroh

Mid 90′s Off The Wall on the Northshore of Hawaii became a photo circus as the worlds best bodyboarders competed for highly competitive shots during the winter months. Riders like Kyle Maligro and Manny Vargas were the star attractions dressing up for the occasion as well as busting out some incredible dropknee riding. This shot Manny with rainbow coloured hair gets the cameras clicking photo Stroh  Circa mid to  late 90′s. 

Tully Beevor and Nathan Nugget Purcell from Australia where two of the most visible and high performing bodyboarders of the mid 90′s. This shot taken at a Qld premier for a Underground Tapes.

ODB alias Brandon Foster from South Africa is a road warrior and bodyboard purist who travels the world searching for new waves and experiences. This shot of ODB was taken at Off The Wall in Hawaii by Chris Stroh Circa 2000′s.

Toby Player may not have won a World Title like his brother Ben but on any given day Toby could often outshine Ben on a regular basis on their daily free surf sessions. Toby and Ben were inseparable growing up and they would push each other constantly. It was this friendly brotherly rivalry that took them both to the top of the sport. Toby at Blackrock late 90s photo Stroh

Hawaiian bodyboard princess Shawnee Oide was one of the top competitors of womens bodyboarding in the late 80′s and early 90′s. Shawnee would later become Mrs Aka Lynman. Shawnee at  Manly Photo Stroh 90.

 

The sport has seen some real characters throughout the years but probably few leave a more lasting impression than the boy from Cronulla affectionately known as Nugget. With Nugget what you see is what you get. As one of the standouts at Shark Island in the 90′s Nuggets name was well known around the bodyboard world. Tales of his adventurers were always doing the rounds. As a bodyboarder Nugget had a wild pedal to the metal approach and would never hold  back. This shot taken in Hawaii at Backdoor Circa 90′s by Chris Stroh

Throughout the 90′s VHS ruled and most bodyboard movies were shot on Hi 8 quality. On today’s standards Hi 8 movies and VHS are very low sub standard quality and don’t hold up to being shown on large TV formats. Hi 8 cameras  were cheap and nasty and by 1999 the market was flooded with assorted  low budget titles. Below just some of the better films from that year.

.From Top Left, Smorgasboard, Forgiven,Adolecence, Fumanchu, Stolen Ideas, Welfare, Rot 5.  Bottom row left, High Rollers, Justice For All, Minor Threat, Class of 99, Rush Junior High and Elevation.