HISTORY

Mark Sutton one of Newcastle’s first bodyboarders was also a fine surf photographer back in the day. This El rollo sequence he took of Ron Jarvis appeared in Tracks in 1985. Back then El rollos were still pretty new and regarded as futuristic.

This pic of the radical Hawaiian Hauoli Reeves was taken around 1990 when he and Mike Stewart arrived in Oz for promo duties. On a trip down the far south coast we scored a secret left reef that not to many people new about back then. It was only 1 meter this day but was barreling all the same and best of all we had it to ourselves . Photo Stroh

Dane “Rat “Randall from Kiama was a talented South Coast bodyboarder throughout the ’90s. Dane had all the Southcoast reefs and secret spots wired but where he  excelled most was his own break, Kiama Wedge. Following in the footsteps of pioneer bodyboarder Karl Fjelsted , Dane found the naturally wedging waves ideal for boosting. It was around the mid 90′s when Danes image ended up on a special edition can of Coca Cola pulling a reverse air float, it was a one off deal but something to show the grand kids. Photo on the Coke can was by Chris Stroh.

Before Mason was break dancing and making videos he rode for Quiksilver bodyboards in the late 90′s. Mason came from Port MacQuarie which has a large variety of rippable dropknee waves, this helps exlains why this area has produced plenty of bodyboarding stars in the past. Heres Mason from the pages of Bodyboarder Magazine demonstrating why he is one of them.

Seamas Mercado was one of the standout Hawaiian bodyboards during t he late 80′s and early 90′s. Renown for his ability to pull into macking Sandy’s and other South Shore slabs as well as big performances on the Northshore. This pic from an A-Tach bodyboard advertisement  ’95

Tow-in bodyboarding began to gain popularity among the elite of bodyboardings most adventurous around the start of 2000.It began around the same time that Mike Stewart towed in at Jaws then Teahupoo. It then  found its way to West Oz where riders like Chad Jackson, Sean Virtue, Brad Jackson and  mates began taking on Cyclops and other offshore reefs of mutant size and proportions. This shot of Chad is from a Turbo poster shows just what is possible and how far big wave riding has come.

 Retro footage of British Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman getting stoked on bodyboarding (turn on the sound to hear him waxing eloquent): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whW5exlFoc4

In 1999 Avalon’s Toby Player scored the cover of US Bodyboarding magazine . Aussies on the cover of America’s top mag in the early days was a very rare occurence. Toby’s perfect Tahilian pit helped change all that.

All the Redley boys getting together at the Alex De Pontes Memorial Contest in Brazil photo Werneck. 90′s.

Ricky Bannister from Port MacQuarie grew up riding small average beach breaks. Taking on mutant Pipe came naturally for the gifted laidback Banno who went on to become Riptide editor in the 90′s. This shot, deep at the Bansaii  in the early 90′s photo Stroh