HISTORY

Pat  stylish as ever busts out the Praying Mantis move on a fun size day on the far South Coast around ’90 photo Stroh

This pic of Ronk was taken near Forster on the mid north coast of Australia around ’92 when the Hawaiian bodyboarder  made his first appearence in OZ. Check out this typical  crocodile hunter style burger he’s about to devour photo Stroh

 

The mid North Coast area of NSW has produced many great bodyboarding talents over the years. The beaches around Port Macquarie and Forster have produced stars like Eppo, The Murray Brothers, Kingy, Thorto, Banno, Mason Rose, Sam Bennett and Toddy De Graaf to name just a few. Troy De Coque in the early to mid 90′s from Forster was another who made a name for himself with his DK and prone moves. Below Troy showing his diversity at Bulls Paddock photo Stroh ’92

Cronulla’s infamous Skid Kids seen in the picture below were sometimes Contest directors nightmares. Here’s Riscole, Dougy Robson, Nugget, Brett Young, Wingnut and Matt Percy forming a tunnel for a Brazillian Competitor at the 1990 Pro Am at Manly. The Cronulla Boys were at war with the officials of the ABA around this time and were  loudly making a stand about contests being held at small wave venues where spinning to win to the beach in 1ft waves won you a place at Pipeline . Through their early protests it started a chain reaction of similar thought over the coming years which eventually lead to the first Shark Island Challenge and Contests worldwide being held at premier wave locations like The Box,  Reunion Island and El Fronton today.

Around 1990 as bodyboarding took off around the world the coastline between Wollongong and Kiama on the south coast of Sydney had an influx of young hot riders who were soon making their name felt in local competions. Names like Egg McCaferty, Dane “Rat” Randall, Shane Griffith, Nigel Bolleck and Adam Switzer pictured below were leading the pack and their push put the South Coast on the map.  Kiama Wedge launch Photo Stroh

 

Not only did Tom Boyle capture the first still images of the sport he also produced the first series of core bodyboard videos under the title Bodyboard Video Magazine featuring the likes of  Mike Stewart, Ben Severson, Pat Caldwell, Keith Sasaki and Jack Lindholm. Mutant Slabs and Monster Barrels was one of Toms best films and  it featured the lovely Gina Bielmann and Dog Boy aka Chris Won on the cover.

July/Aug ’91 issue of Riptide featured young Hawaiian bodyboarder Rollins Wood risking life and limb on this Sandy Beach bone crusher. Pic was by Chris Dyball.

 

Snapped this guy as he was about  to paddle out the back at Waimea Bay on a maxing big day back  in Winter ’93. Don’t know his name but he looked like King Neptune with his long rasta hair and huge dive flippers. Hawaii’s Northshore  is full of characters and  hardcore watermen and just the fact he had the balls to paddle out on a boogie was worth recording in my view. Sure beats the stereo type of other bodyboarders back then. Words and Photo Chris Stroh.