HISTORY

Underground Tapes were a series of 10 bodyboard movies in the 90′s produced by Aussie Chris Stroh here is a best of from some of the highlights.Footage is damaged around 1.23 but comes good.

Dr. 360″ had a remarkable ride. Nicknamed for the spin he originated on the waves, Joe Wolfson of Manhattan Beach was a pioneer in the world of bodysurfing and bodyboarding, which he took to in the 1970s because he was too small for large surfboards. He became a master.”He would sit on a board and spin three, four or five times across the face of a wave,” Cody said. He was the first to do this maneuver, a 360.

 Wolfson went on to win national and international competitions in the sport. He created his own bodyboard, which he sold at local surf shops.Fearless in the water, he took on big, fast surf. And he was one of the first Americans to regularly surf Puerto Escondido, the Mexican pipeline.

His legend grew when, facing terminal cancer, he spent his savings on others, left a note and $5,000 for a party and paddled out to sea to die. Comatose, he was rescued.In Feb 2000 Wolfsen was killed when his car veered off the Marina Freeway, went down an embankment and hit a tree. He was 50.

Aussie stylemaster from Monavale on Sydneys Northern Beaches Matt Chopper Riley scores the cover of French magazine Bodyrider. The sport is now global.

Eppo was a great innovator introducing new moves like the ARS and Backflip but what also set Eppo above and apart from other riders was his natural character. He was a one of a kind. What is lacking in the sport today and holding it back is there are no real characters like Eppo, Jay, Kyle and Hauoli any more. Bodyboardings image appears lifeless and dull from an outsiders point of view.

Before Go Pros Cameron Nelson improvises with a trigger set up camera water housing mounted to his board self portrait to score the cover.

Classic all Mike Stewart clip from the movie Fire producer Scotty Carter.

Beau Day partying like it was 1999 from leekelly.tv on Vimeo.

Around 1990 Shark Island was a melting pot of high energy bodyboarding. On any given swell there was a hand-full of young riders who were pushing one another to go deeper and deeper. Names like Doug Robson, Youngy, Nugget, Dave Ballard and Wazza were redefining one of the worlds heaviest slabs that was purely suited to bodyboarding. Among this gifted crew was also Matt Percy in the pic below. Perce was the Black Knight of the sport in Oz  who started a movement to avoid competions held in crappy beach breaks. Photo Stroh Circa 90′s.

1980′S Manta Silencer 43″  with crecent tail and white slick bottom.