HISTORY

When this shot of Paul Roach appeared in Bodyboarding Magazine it changed the face of Dropknee riding. It was at the time and still is today one of the most inspiring and hardcore shots ever taken of a bodyboarder. It basically said to all the other youth codes like surfing, any thing you can do I can do better.

For the bulk of 90′s three Drop Knee riders stood out from the rest. Paul Roach from the US was like Kelly Slater with flashy moves and lightning speed turns. Hawaiian born Aka Lyman was calculated and smooth with a heavy backside who was classy like an Andy Irons. From Australia was Dave Ballard who was a Occy clone with raging bull style turns. Bal’s DK riding was pure power and unpredictability. As a grom he showed early potential on his surfboard but made the switch to DK and became the sports poster boy appearing on front covers world wide and douple page spreads for his sponsors Manta and Billabong. During his peak  Bal was probably the second most publicised bodyboarder in the world, second only to Stewart. Pic below standard Ballard water slaughter on his Hydro signature board, this pic is typical of Ballards powerful moves and blistering turns. Photo Chris Stroh early 90′s.

Port MacQuarie on the mid north coast of NSW in Australia is a bodyboarding hot spot. The area is renown for producing impressive bodyboard talent including two world champions in Eppo and Damian King. Then you have the rest of the crew like Mason Rose, Todd DeGraaf, Banno, The Murray’s and the list goes on. Above Eppo , Ashly and Adam Murray at the first Port Mac Team Challenge back in the day when the more sponsor stickers you had on your board the more you ripped. Pic Chris Stroh 1990.

Short clip of Mike Stewart towing in Teahupoo in Tahiti 

 

This article appeared in Body Lines in Waves Magazine June 87. The article was called “Attack of The Bellymen”. It starts off with a little fond tale about Mike Stewart told by Ross Hawke. Hellman , Hauoli and Kai Santos were hanging out bored on the Northshore so they decided on a trip to Kiddieland the notorious dumping shorebreak where 6 ft walls crash onto dry sand. The boys picked up Mike who lived right nearby and charged the shorey. Mike stole the show when he pretended to be a helpless tourist getting sucked out backwards into this super heavy rip and smashed by the waves. The real tourists watching thought it was for real and were freaking out. Pic of Mike by Wilmont.

Heres two clips of the 80′s Dropknee legend Keith Sasaki. First is a interview in ’88. The 2nd is from a comp at Trestles in 95 with Keith showing all the moves that made him one of the sports biggest stars.

When this profile of Doug Robson appeared in Waves in the late ’80s it blew minds. The free-fall was state of the art and at the time Doug was on fire. Dougy was Australias next big thing and was pushing the limits with his charging and airs. Doug’s career a few years later was cut short when he broke his back at his beloved Shark Island in a back slamming wipeout on the reef.

 

Experience the huge cavernous pits of Pipeline,the shearing speed walls of G-Land, the treacherous reefs of Tahiti and the infamous Shark Island right in your bedroom. Mike Stewarts game had everyone amped. The PC computer game had good graphics but restricted by keypad controls. Now if this had come out on Playstation the bodyboard crew would have been stoked and ate it up. 

Back in 1990 these Riptide fluro caps were all the rage and a sign of the times. They look like they came from the set of Rip The Pit. Kids would have done pretty much anything to get their hands on one. Who knows if we hang onto them long enough they may come back into fashion.

This advertisement came out around 87/88. Young Nick Gibbs from Manly was making a name for himself along with Brother Alex. The pair were being called the Wonder Kids of Aussie bodyboarding and were winning their share of small wave comps. Nick scored as well around this time the cover of the Milo Tin Can as well.