HISTORY

Big Kai competing at Pipe in the mid 90′s.  Hawaii born and bred, Kainoa was one of Stewart’s biggest rivals for many years and he was able to utilise his prone and Dropknee skills depending on conditions. One of the most feared competitors in the 80′s and 90′s Photo Stroh

Morey 7-SS Model popular in the late 80′s and early 90′s.

Nathan Nugget Purcell was best known for his wild mischievous behaviour and biting comments as well as his standout tube riding at Shark Island.  One of the sports true characters. This pic Nugget is riding the foam ball out of Surge Late 90′s by Stroh

When Eppo won his World Title in ’93 his board model with Manta went off around the world. Here’s Eppo own boards from around ’94. Photo Stroh

When Eppo was on top of the contest scene in Australia he used to rave about two young bodyboarders from Port MacQuarie who he believed could take it all the way in bodyboarding. The first was Toddy DeGraaf. Eppo described him as the most naturally talented bodyboarder he had ever seen. The second was Damaian King. While Damo did live up to Eppos early prediction by winning two World Titles, Toddy took a totally different path happy to just rip the waves at home at Port. This shot of Toddy taken at North Wall early 90′s by Chris Stroh

Manta Pro Hawke custom pro core 20 bodyboard. Ross Hawke signature model from the Manta Milpera Factory late 80′s.

 

Adam Mac was one of the standout bodyboarders from Queensland throughout the 90′s. A regular barrel master when the Gold Coast Points were firing or a air specialist in the D Bah A Frames. Adam had a respectable contest portfolio but kept it mostly amateur level and never chased the  Pro Tour dream. Photo Stroh surfing D Bah mid 90′s.

Pikers Hole was first surfed on mats and kneelos in the 70′s but it wasn’t until the early 90′s after years of going unridden that Wazza Feinbeer rode it by himself on his bodyboard with his brother Steve Austin. Wazza was the first bodyboarder and for years had the spot to himself. In early 2000′s word got out about the world class slabbing beast of a wave that rivals the heaviest barrels around. It was the beginning of the end for many years after surfers from Maroubra claimed the spot and renamed it Ours. Lately the Bra Boys have relented to a degree their violent stance and bodyboarders are now sneaking back in the lineup. The beast unleashes photo CSP.

 

 

Apart from being one of Shark Islands longest standouts Christian Ricco also known as Rissole first came to attention as one of the Skid Kids from Cronulla. His scene in Underground Tapes 1 where he reveals what its like to be apart of the Island crew is legendary. Here Rissole gets up to some mischief in 1990 with a bit of body art. Photo Stroh