HISTORY

Before Tamega busted onto the bodyboard world Marcello Pedro was one of the top performers from Brazil who helped influence Guilherme. Marcello has long been a standout in Hawaii. This interview appeared in Bodyboarder Mag around ’93.

Spencer Skipper was once regarded as the heir apparent to Mike Stewarts throne in the 90′s. Years down the line Mike still hasn’t retired and isn’t willing to give up his crown as the king of Pipe. Skipp on the other hand just kept doing what he does which is textbook style and cutting edge turns that gained him a ton of respect from his peers. Here’s the Hawaiian cruiser slotted at Pipe toying with the pit  like it is his local shorey.Photo taken back in the No Friends era by Stroh late 90s.

Watching Ryan Hardy tube ride you can see  the  little shifts , turns and body movements that he does that makes it look  so easy. The truth is he’s spent years honing these skills and the final result is that Hardballs is now one of the best tube riders in the sport. This pic Shark Island by Stroh back in the 4 Play board days.

 

When bodyboarding first began to explode worldwide some of the first competitors rode standup. Throughout the 80′s standup bodyboarding flourished and Danny Kim from the Westside of Oahu was the man. By the 90′s the stand-up crew were disappearing and nobody stood-up in heats anymore. Still guys like Danny, Chris Won and Cavin Yap  kept the tradition alive by free-surfing and pulling moves like the surfboard crew were pulling. This pic of Danny Kim was taken in Jan ’93 at Beach Park by Stroh

In the 90′s Gleeso was Australia’s top female performer battling it out with the highly competitive Brazilians girls. She won the Readers Polls regularly was a regular finalist on the Womens Tour events. It was her efforts that inspired Kira Llewelyn and other Aussie ladies to have a dig. Photo Stroh 90′s Circa.

I think Bullet got his nickname due to the shape of his head back in his grom days at Maroubra Beach. Macca hanged out with the Bra Boys before they were Bra Boys. I think their gang was called Ma’s Hell Team named after The Abberton Boys Grandma where they hanged out and left their boards. The Bra crew were a committed bunch of surfers even back in those days and it definitely rubbed off on Macca who developed a love of heavy waves. This pic Shark Island comp early 2000′s by Stroh.

This photo of Tamega  is from 1994 Pipe World Title Championships.  It is just one of 16 photo sequence of Guilhermes 10 point ride in maxed out Pipe conditions in the semi final. Tamega went on to win the ’94 World Title in a gutsy do or die effort in the following final heat . He commented later ” I was prepared to die to win it”.

When Eppo burst onto the main stage of bodyboarding he quickly changed the sport forever. In Jan ’93 he did the unthinkable by winning the world title. At the time he stunned the world as well as himself but he went on to prove he was a worthy champion in the years to come. This air at Foster, on the mid north coast of NSW by Stroh early 90′s.

Kira from Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland was the only Aussie female bodyboarder who was able to break the stranglehold that Brazilians female riders have had on the world womens title championships. Kira was encouraged to surf by her two older brothers and she soon rose to the top of the sport with her fearless and pro-active style. Kira El Rollo photo Stroh Off The Wall early 2000′s.

Jeff Hubbard blew the sport away when he took over from Eppo as the aerial king and took it up a couple of notches with his crazy acrobatic display. He left the sport speechless when he pulled the first 720 captured on film at Pipe. This air of Hubb at Off The Wall was a standard move for the kid from Kauai who pulls these moves with ease like other riders pull spinners. Photo Stroh