CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

This Edition: Jeff Hubbard Wins Third World Title, PLC Wins Fronton Pro, IBA GSS/GQS Final Rankings, 2013 IBA World Tour Schedule, Rio Carioca Tour Season Finale at Sao Conrado.


JEFF HUBBARD WINS THIRD WORLD TITLE, PIERRE LOUIS COSTES WINS FRONTON

  GALDAR, GRAN CANARIA, CANARY ISLANDS-  Friday, December 14th, 2012 will be remembered as one of the great moments in bodyboarding history.  The final day of competition at the 2012 NMD/VS Fronton Pro was held in heavy 6-8ft.+  glassy conditions with some of the world's best bodyboarders putting on an epic display of high-performance riding!  Big waves, gaping barrels, huge moves, massive wipeouts, and a world title chase played out in such  phenomenal fashion that not even Hollywood could pull of such a thrilling and suspenseful story!

  The IBA world title was still very much up for grabs between 2x World Champion Jeff Hubbard (Hawaii) and Dave Winchester (Australia) going into the quarterfinals. South Africa's Mark McCarthy eliminated Hubb in the closing seconds of their heat, leaving the door to the championship trophy wide open for Winchester.  Unfortunately, Winny was unable to capitalize on the opportunity losing to Pierre Louis Costes (France) in their semifinal heat.  As a result, Hubb claimed the 2012 world title, becoming 3x World Champion.

  Jared Houston (whom defeated fellow South African McCarthy in the semis) squared off against PLC in what would turn out to be an epic final.  Jared started off with a hot hand, scoring a 9.25 on his first wave and eventually putting PLC in combination situation (in need of two new scores).  Pierre, the 2011 World Champion, was not out of it though.  Later into the heat, PLC score a 9.83 and backed that up with another solid score which allowed him to move ahead of Houston and go on to win the event.

(Photos: #1: 2012 World Champion Jeff Hubbard, #2: PLC victorious at Fronton, #3: Jared Houston's massive invert, #4: Mark McCarthy freefalling into a Fronton bomb.)

FINAL RANKING FOR 2012 GSS TOP 16:
  The top 16 riders on the GSS (Grand Slam Series) have re-qualified for the 2013 world tour.

1. Jeff Hubbard (Hawaii)
2. Dave Winchester (Australia)
3.Pierre Louis Costes (France)
4. Guilherme Tamega (Brasil)
5. Jared Houston (South Africa)
6. Mark McCarthy (South Africa)
7. Mitch Rawlins (Australia)
8. Ben Player (Australia)
9. Amaury Lavernhe (Reunion Island)
10.  Mike Stewart (Hawaii)
11. Andrew Lester (Australia)
12. Magno Passos (Brasil)
13. Uri Valadao (Brasil)
14. Alex Uranga (Basque)
15. Sam Bennett (Australia)
16. Eder Luciano (Brasil)

FINAL RANKING FOR GQS TOP 8:
  The top 8 riders from the GQS (Global Qualifying Series) have qualified for the 2013 GSS, and will move up to round out next season's top 24 riders on the IBA World Tour.

1. Brahim Iddouch (Morocco)*
2. Damian King (Australia)
3. Sacha Specker (South Africa)
4. Yoan Florentin (Reunion Island)
5. Alan Munoz (Chile)*
6. Jones Russell (Australia)
7. Jacob Romero (Hawaii)
8. Nick Ormerod (Australia)

*By qualifying for 2013 IBA GSS World Tour, Brahim Iddouch and Alan Munoz have become the first bodyboarders from Morocco and Chile, respectively, to ever qualify for the world tour.

  Be sure to check out the IBA YouTube Channel for highlights clips and Heats-On-Demand to watch all of the action from this year's incredible NMD/VS Fronton Pro, as well as all of the other amazing tour events from the 2012 season:  www.youtube.com/ibaworldtour

For more information, please visit this link:
http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/12/pierre-louis-costes-wins-nmdvs-fronton-pro/


2013 IBA WORLD TOUR SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

  The IBA World Tour has released it's 2013 event schedule.  Some events have yet to be confirmed, so be sure to stay tuned to www.ibaworldtour.com for updates as they become available.  In the meantime, here's a closer look at what's currently on the calendar for 2013:

(Men's GSS- Grand Slam Series)

February 16th- March 2nd - Pipe Challenge - Pipeline, Hawaii
April 18th-28th - NSW South Coast Mobile Challenge - South Coast, NSW, Australia
May 17th-26th - Arica Chilean Challenge - El Gringo, Arica, Chile
June 6th-16th - Itacoatiara Challenge - Itacoatiara, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
August 1st-12th - Zicatela Challenge - Puerto Escondido, Mexico
September 26th- October 5th - South Africa Challenge - Herold's Bay, South Africa (TBC)
October 9th-20th - St. Leu Challenge - St. Leu, Reunion Island, France
October 25th- November 2nd - Encanto Challenge - Middles, Isabela, Puerto Rico (TBC)
November 11th-22nd - Fronton Challenge - El Fronton, Galdar, Gran Canaria

(Men's GQS- Global Qualifying Series)

April 8th-14th - Queensland Pro - Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia (TBC)
May 28th- June 2nd - Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival - Antofagasta, Chile
August 26th- September 2nd - Sintra Portugal Pro - Sintra, Portugal
September 1st-7th - Espirito Santo Pro - Espirito Santo, Brasil (TBC)
September 9th-15th - Rio Bodyboarding International - Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
September 20th-23rd - Bodyboard Pro Festival - Isla de Margerita, Venezuela (TBC)
November 26th- December 2nd - Moroccan Challenge - Morocco (TBC)

(WWT- Women's World Tour)

February 16th- March 2nd - Pipe Challenge - Pipeline, Hawaii - Grand Slam
April 7th-9th - Manapanny Surf Festival - Manapanny, Reunion Island - International Event
May 28th- June 2nd - Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival - Antofagasta, Chile - 6-Star Qualifying Series
August 26th- September 2nd - Sintra Portugal Pro - Sintra, Portugal - Grand Slam
September 9th-15th - Rio Bodyboarding International - Rio de Janeiro, Brasil - Grand Slam
September 20th-23rd - Bodyboard Pro Festival - Isla de Margerita, Venezuela (TBC) - Grand Slam
October 25th- November 2nd - Encanto Challenge - Middles, Isabela, Puerto Rico (TBC) -Grand Slam

(DKWT- Drop Knee World Tour)

February 14th-24th - Pipe Challenge - Pipeline, Hawaii
March 1st-4th - Peruvian Inka Challenge - Chilca, Peru
August 26th- September 2nd - Sintra Portugal Pro - Sintra, Portugal
October 25th- November 2nd - Encanto Challenge - Middles, Isabela, Puerto Rico (TBC)

(Specialty Events)

March - July - Shark Island Challenge - Cronulla Point, Sydney, Australia
July - Tand Invitational Challenge - Capetown, South Africa


LUCAS NOGUEIRA WINS RIO CARIOCA TOUR SEASON FINALE AT SAO CONRADO

  SAO CONRADO, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL-  The fifth and final event of the 2012 Rio Matte Leao Bodyboard Carioca Tour was held on December 8th and 9th at Sao Conrado in small but workable 1-3ft waves.  Lucas Nogueira won the Mens Pro.

  In the Women's Pro, it was Maira Viana walking away with the victory.  Here are the results from all of the divisions.

(Men's Pro)
1. Lucas Nogueira (Espirito Santo)
2. Helliton Loureiro (Espirito Santo)
3. Felipe Lima (Rio de Janeiro)
4. Ricardo Ramos (Rio de Janeiro)

(Women's Pro)
1. Maira Viana (Espirito Santo)
2. Rafaela Alves (Rio de Janeiro)
3. Maria Helena (Niteroi)
4. Jessica Becker (Macae)

(Open Men's Amateur)
1. Pedro Henrique (Rio de Janeiro)
2. Luciano Santana (Sao Joao de Barra)
3. Virley Rodrigues (Rio de Janeiro)
4. Ailton Neto (Campos)

(Women's Open Amateur)
1. Luisa Albuquerque (Rio de Janeiro)
2. Marilene Fernandez (Espirito Santo)
3. Carol Castro (Rio de Janeiro)
4. Yumi Vasconcellos (Rio das Ostras)

(Sub 16)
1. Socrates Santana (Rio de Janeiro)
2. Lucas Rodrigues (Rio de Janeiro)
3. Brenner Santos (Rio das Ostras)
4. Leandro Cardoso (Rio de Janeiro)

The 2012 Rio Matte Leao Bodyboard Carioca Tour  Champions (pictured above), as well as the FEBBRJ 2012 State Champions, were determined following the conclusion of competition at Sao Conrado.  Here are this year's champions and vice-champions.

2012 RIO CARIOCA TOUR CHAMPIONS/ VICE-CHAMPIONS:

(Men's Pro)
Champion- Israel Eduardo (Rio das Ostras)
Vice-Champion- Lucas Nogueira (Espirito Santo)

(Women's Pro)
Champion- Maira Viana (Espirito Santo)
Vice-Champion- Jessica Becker (Macae)

(Men's Open Amateur)
Champion- Daniel Ferreira (Rio de Janeiro)
Vice-Champion- Jonas Silva (Sao Joao de Barra)

(Women's Open Amateur)
Champion- Luisa Albuquerque (Rio de Janeiro)
Vice-Champion- Marilene Rodriguez (Espirito Santo)

(Sub 16)
Champion- Socrates Santana (Rio de Janeiro)
Vice-Champion- Kayque Thomaz (Rio de Janeiro)


2012 FEBBRJ STATE CHAMPIONS/ VICE-CHAMPIONS:

(Men's Pro)
Champion- Helliton Loureiro (Espirito Santo)
Vice-Champion- Francirley Ferreira (Rio de Janeiro)

(Women's Pro)
Champion- Maira Viana (Espirito Santo)
Vice-Champion- Nicolle Calheiros (Rio de Janeiro)

(Men's Open Amateur)
Champion- Daniel Ferreira (Rio de Janeiro)
Vice-Champion- Ailton Neto (Campos)

(Women's Open Amateur)
Champion- Yumi Vasconcellos (Rio das Ostras)
Vice-Champion- Luana Peixoto (Sao Joao de Barra)

(Sub 16)
Champion- Matheus Nogueira (Rio de Janeiro)
Vice-Champion- Socrates Santana (Rio de Janeiro)


Check out this video highlights clip for the Sao Conrado event:

For more information, please visit this link:  www.febbrj.com.rj


TERRY MCKENNA RESIGNS FROM IBA WORLD TOUR

  NEWCASTLE, NSW, AUSTRALIA-  After a seven year run with the International Bodyboarding Association (first as General Manager, then more recently as Tour Manager), Terry "Teza" McKenna is resigning from IBA Pty Ltd.  Terry insists that it’s only a move from his current employer and not an exit from the sport.

  “I won't be going far.  I love what I do and I am proud of what I achieved during my time with the IBA," said Teza.  "It’s been an amazing ride and I met some incredible people along the way. It’s these passionate people, the fans, the promoters and of course the riders that kept me going for so long.  Craig Hadden is also an inspiration for me,” said Mckenna. “His hard work and professionalism are amazing and he is the best head judge in the world, hands down.”

Terry will return to developing what is widely regarded as one of the best domestic tours in the world with the Rebel Sport Australian National Tour.  Meanwhile,  The IBA has appointed Alex Leon as the new tour manager for 2013.

For more information, please visit this link:
http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/12/iba-world-tour-news-update/

APPLIED SCIENCES: Fin Tethers

APPLIED SCIENCES: Fin Tethers

  Fin tethers are a small but rather essential piece of bodyboarding equipment.  The purpose of a fin tether is to attach your swimfin to your ankle so that your fin does not fall off.  Whether your swimfins are slightly oversized and loose-fitting or you are riding waves with a lot of power and current, the best way to prevent losing your swimfins is to invest in a set of tethers.  Generally inexpensive, fin tethers come in several different styles while all serving the same purpose.  Here is a quick breakdown on the various types of fin tethers:

BASIC FIN TETHERS

  Basic fin tethers (as seen in the above photo) have padded velcro straps, similar to the straps found on bodyboard leashes, with nylon strings that loop around the heels of your swimfins. After attaching the tethers to your fins, the velcro strap is wrapped and attached around your ankle.  For a quick reference, watch this video tutorial by Jay Reale from Ebodyboarding.com as he demonstrates how to attach fin tethers...

FIN STRINGS

  Fin strings are pretty self-explanatory...nylon strings, similar to parachute chord, that loop around the heel of your swimfins.  There are a few different variations on the fin string tether design with the main difference being in how the tether attaches.  Some sets are sold with sliding cinches (as pictured above), clamp buckles, or just strings meant to be tied like shoelaces.


DELUXE FIN TETHERS

  Deluxe fin tether sets are comprised of a combination of fin tethers and ankle pads (usually sold seperately).  The tethers and ankle pads are attached together, with the pad being velcroed around the heel of your swimfin, and the tether strap being adjusted to fit your ankle.  Some models feature a simple velcro strap while others have a padded nylon strap that slides through a plastic buckle (pictured above).


*IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY...SHOESTRINGS!

  Once upon a time, bodyboarders did not have the luxury of cruising into the nearest bodyboard shop to pick up a set of tethers.  If they didn't want to have their swimfins sucked off of their feet and swept away by the currents, shoestrings were the call.  Despite not being as sturdy or reliable as the materials used in today's fin tethers, shoestrings definitely served their purpose, and still do to this day, as improvised swimfin tethers.  If you're ever travelling, and don't have ready access to a shop that sells bodyboarding equipment, using shoestrings can make the diffence between being out in the water to score a killer session and sitting on the beach watching after getting your fin(s) ripped off your feet!


  With a variety of different types of fin tethers, from just about every bodyboarding company (and even a few surf companies) out there on the market, you might be wondering which one to use.  My best advice to you is try a few different sets out and see which ones you feel most comfortable using.  With that said, go get yourself a good set of fin tethers, put them on your swimfins, and enjoy your next session without having to worry about losing a fin.  Enjoy...YEEEWWW!!!

HISTORY: Bodyboarders with Multiple World Titles

HISTORY:  Bodyboarders with Multiple World Titles

From Left to Right: 6x World Champion Guilherme Tamega (Brasil), 3x World Champion Jeff Hubbard (Hawaii), and 9x World Champion Mike Stewart (Hawaii). Buzios, Brasil 2010. Photo: Bodyboarding 101

  Many professional bodyboarders go the length of their entire careers without being able to capture a world championship title.  For a small number of truly talented and fortunate bodyboarders, winning a world title is the accomplishment of a lifetime.  Even smaller still is the number of bodyboarders that have been able to procure multiple world titles.  In the process of doing so, they have guaranteed their place in our sport's history.  Here is the list of bodyboarders with multiple world championships.

Mike Stewart at Pipeline. Photo: Bodyboard Museum

MIKE STEWART (Hawaii) - 9x Men's World Champion:
1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 APB*

(*Transition from APB...Association of Professional Bodyboarders...to GOB...Global Organization of Bodyboarders...as the governing organization for bodyboarding)

8x DK World Champion Dave Hubbard. Photo: APB

DAVE HUBBARD (Hawaii)- 8x Drop Knee World Champion:
2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

Guilherme Tâmega's Death Roll during the legendary 1994 Pipeline contest. Photo: Neal Miyake.

GUILHERME TÂMEGA (Brasil) - 6x Men's World Champion:
1994 GOB*, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002

(*Transition from APB...Association of Professional Bodyboarders...to GOB...Global Organization of Bodyboarders...as the governing organization for bodyboarding)

5x Women's World Champion Neymara Carvalho (center) with 1995 Women's World Champion Claudia Ferrari (left) and 1999 Women's World Champion Karla Costa (right) at Rio Bodyboarding International 2012. Photo: Bodyboarding 101

NEYMARA CARVALHO (Brasil) - 5x Women's World Champion:
2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009

4x Women's World Champion Stephanie Pettersen charging in Tahiti. Photo: Tim Jones.

STEPHANIE PETTERSEN (Brasil) - 4x Women's World Champion:
1990, 1993, 1994, 2002

Photo: Teza McKenna

ISABELA SOUSA (Brasil) - 4x Women's World Champion:
2010, 2012, 2013, 2016

3x Men's World Champion Ben Player celebrating his win at the 2013 Pipe Challenge. Photo: IBA.

BEN PLAYER (Australia) - 3x Men's World Champion:
2005, 2007, 2013

Jeff Hubbard celebrating his 3rd world title at Fronton in 2012. Photo: IBA.

JEFF HUBBARD (Hawaii) - 3x Men's World Champion:
2006, 2009, 2012

Damian King clinched the DK world title at the 2011 Encanto Pro Puerto Rico, making King the only bodyboarder to win both the Men's world title as well as the Drop Knee world title. Photo: Bodyboarding 101.

*DAMIAN KING (Australia) - 3x World Champion:
2003, 2004 Men's World Champion. 2011 Drop Knee World Champion.

3x Women's World Champion Mariana Nogueira in Hawaii. Photo: Chris Stroh.

MARIANA NOGUEIRA (Brasil) - 3x Women's World Champion:
1992, 1995, 1998

Wave Rebel Bodyboards ad for 2x World Champion Andre Botha. Andre is the youngest Men's World Champion in bodyboarding history, winning his first title at age 17.

ANDRE BOTHA (South Africa) - 2x Men's World Champion:
1998, 1999.

Amaury Lavernhe's victory at the 2014 Arica Chilean Challenge helped propel him to his 2nd world title. Photo: APB.

AMAURY LAVERNHE (Reunion Island) - 2x Men's World Champion:
2010, 2014

PIERRE LOUIS COSTES (France) - 2x Men's World Champion:
2011, 2016

2x Women's World Champion Soraia Rocha at Rio Bodyboarding International 2012. Photo: Pedro Monteiro.

SORAIA ROCHA (Brasil) - 2x Women's World Champion:
2000, 2001

2x Women's World Champion Daniela Freitas.

DANIELA FREITAS (Brasil) - 2x Women's World Champion:
1996, 1997

Alexandra is the youngest world champion in bodyboarding history, winning her first world title at the age of 16.

*ALEXANDRA RINDER (Canary Islands) - 2x Women's World Champion:
2014, 2015

SOCRATES SANTANA (Brasil) - 2x Pro Junior World Champion:
2015, 2016

JARED HOUSTON (South Africa) - 2x Men's World Champion:
2015, 2018

SAMMY MORRETINO (Hawaii) - 2x Drop Knee World Champion:
2017, 2018

NOTE: All statistics were compiled from the contributions of Claudia Ferrari, Daniela Freitas, Karla Costa, as well as Craig Hadden of the APB.  A big thanks to all of them for their assistance!

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News
This Week: Australian Nationals, ISA World Bodyboarding Championship, Fronton Wildcards

WINNERS AND 2012 CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT AUSTRALIAN NATIONALS

  KIAMA BEACH, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA-  The 2012 IBA Australasia RAW Nationals and Rebel Sports Pro were held November 26th - December 2nd.  Here are the final results:

REBEL SPORTS Pro Mens Final:
1- Nic Ormerod (QLD)
2- Jones Russell (NSW)
3- Mitch Rawlins (QLD)
4- Lachlan Cramsie (QLD)

REBEL SPORTS Pro DK Final:
1- Damian King (NSW)
2- Shane Griffiths (QLD)
3- Jon Capilli (NSW)
4- Adam Cheers (NSW)

REBEL SPORTS Pro Womens Final:
1- Nicole Fleming (TAS)
2- Emma Cobb (NSW)
3- Lilly Pollard (NSW)
4- Courtney Parsons (NSW)

Open Mens Final- sponsored by GRAND FLAVOUR:
1- Marshall Watson (SA)
2- Lachlan Cramsie (QLD)
3- Jake Metcalf (WA)
4- Dane Woods (NSW)

Open Womens Final- sponsored by QCD:
1- Nicole Fleming (TAS)
2- Nicole Monks (NSW)
3- Noriko Smith (NSW)
4- Courtney Parsons (NSW)

2012 Rebel Sports Pro final results:

2012 Mens Pro Australian National Champion: Mitch Rawlins

2012 Womens Pro Australian National Champions: Nicole Fleming & Lilly Pollard (tied)

2012 DK Pro Australian National Champion: Damian King

For more information regarding final results, please visit the following link:
http://ibaaustralasia.com/2012-rebel-sport-pro-tour-rankings/

Also, for more information about the IBA Australasia and Rebel Sports Pro tours, visit:
www.ibaaustralasia.com

Photos: All photos are from the IBA Australasia Facebook page.


EDER LUCIANO & TEAM BRASIL WIN GOLD AT  WORLD BODYBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP

    PLAYA PORQUITO, MARGARITA ISLAND, VENEZUELA-  The 2012 ISA World Bodyboarding Championship was held November 24th - December 2nd.  Here are the Gold Medal Winners:

Overall: Team Brasil

Open Men: Eder Luciano (Brasil)

Open Women: Sari Oohara (Japan)

Drop Knee: Iain Campbell (South Africa)

Under 18 Boys: Maxime Castillo (France)

Under 18 Girls: Shiori Okazawa (Japan)

For more information on the 2012 ISA World Bodyboard Championship, please be sure to visit:
www.isawbc.com


FRONTON PRO WILDCARDS SELECTED

  GRAN CANARIA, CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN-  The Wildcard competitors for the IBA NMD/VS Fronton Pro 2012 have been selected.  Here is the list for this year's Fronton wildcards:

Elliot Morales (Canary Islands, pictured above)
Dallos Rodriguez (Canary Islands)
Nelson Mora (Canary Islands)
Jonathan Vega (Canary Islands)
Nestor Perez (Canary Islands)
Jason Finlay (Australia)

For more information on the IBA NMD/VS Fronton Pro 2012 wildcards, please be sure to visit this link:
http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/11/wildcards-check-in-for-the-2012-nmdvs-fronton-pro/

Also, for more information on the IBA World Tour, visit:  www.ibaworldtour.com

Photo: IBA/ Sacha Specker

HISTORY: The Damian King Interview, Part I

HISTORY: The Damian King Interview, Part I

  Australian Damian King, also known as "Kingy" and "The Joker" within the international bodyboarding community, is a 2x Men's World Champion (2003 and 2004) as well as the 2011 Drop Knee World Champion.  Kingy was the first Australian bodyboarder to win multiple world titles, and is the first bodyboarder in history to have won titles on both the Men's World Tour and the Drop Knee World Tour of the International Bodyboarding Association (IBA).  Here, Kingy discusses his two men's world titles.  This interview was conducted at the IBA Media House on the North Shore of Oahu on 24 February 2011 during the IBA Pipeline Pro.

STEVE JACKSON:  What was going on in your life going into the first world championship that you won in 2003?

DAMIAN KING:  My mum passed away in March, so that was kind of like a kick in the bum to do something with my life.  I had just been kind of plodding along on the world tour, and just cruising kind of.  Literally, like half an hour after that happened I walked out of the hospital and just made a full decision that I was going to win a world title.  It was pretty crazy that I, actually, thought that.  I thought I've got to do something with my life, do something important.  Half an hour after she passed, I made that decision and then I was just absolutely focused, ridiculously focused on it.

STEVE JACKSON:  After you won that first world championship, how did that affect your life?  The day-to-day in life, short term, long term, looking back on it now, how did that change things?

DAMIAN KING:  I guess I felt, just as a person, I just felt a lot more confident in myself.  I remember even after that first event in Tahiti.  I wrote on my board.  I wrote on the front of it kind of where I could just see, but I wrote "1st Place" and I ended up getting first.  I remember after that first event, I just spun right out.  I was just like, "Wow, I can't believe I was, actually, so determined to win and I won!"  I won the 2001 Shark Island contest, but it was different.  I wasn't absolutely focused on winning as I was with Tahiti and all the other comps throughout the year.  Then, when I won the world title, I couldn't believe that I actually won.  At the end, I was just stuck in this work mode to win and when I actually won I was like, "Wow!"  I just couldn't believe.  You think you can win, but to actually win is another story.  I, basically, came away from the first world title thinking anything is possible if you fully focus.  Then, I just wanted to prove to myself that it wasn't a fluke, so I was just determined to win a second straight-up just because I was like I don't want to think that it was just luck.  So, I was just as amped for the second.  After the first one, I kind of like didn't really rest after the first one.  I was kind of like, "Hang on, I just want to make sure that can happen again."  I just wanted to test this out in my mind, and I ended up with another one after it was all over.

STEVE JACKSON:  When you got your second world championship under your belt, you became the first Australian to ever have two world titles in the sport of bodyboarding.  Did that play in your mind at all?

DAMIAN KING:  Not really.  All I wanted to do, basically, was use that to build the sport in Australia.  I was pretty busy, always trying to get mainstream media and all that kind of stuff.  I really didn't get caught up in it when I was world champion.  I thought what I did was good.  It was good that I accomplished that.  I thought it was a big accomplishment, but I really didn't feel myself change as a person.  I didn't really think like, "Oh yeah, I'm the only one."  I didn't really care about whether anyone had done it before or whatever.  Obviously, I have respect for that but it wasn't like I thought, "Oh yeah, I'm the only guy who's done it now."  It didn't really worry me.  I was just stoked that I put my mind to something and I did it.

  I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to Damian King for taking the time to sit down and answer my questions for this interview.

(PHOTOS: photo #1 from The Sydney Morning Herald www.smh.com.au , photo #2 from Happy Zurowski, photo #3 (Kingy and Action Jackson, North Shore 2011) from Manny Vargas)

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

...Damian King announces retirement, Jeff Hubbard wins in Puerto Rico, Fronton, Final rankings for DKWT and WWT!


DAMIAN KING ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT PLANS

Damian King claiming the 2011 IBA DKWT title in Puerto Rico.  Photo: Action

  PORT MACQUARIE, AUSTRALIA-  2x Mens World Champion and 2011 Drop Knee World Champion Damian King announced his retirement plans this past week.  Kingy, the only professional bodyboarder to ever win both the men's world title (2003 and 2004) as well as the drop knee world title (2011), will retire at the conclusion of the 2013 IBA Men's World Tour Grand Slam Series in which he will compete as one of the top 24 ranked bodyboarders in the world and battle it out for the world title.  For more information on this story, please click on the following link:

http://www.portnews.com.au/story/925559/world-champion-king-announces-retirement-date/


JEFF HUBBARD WINS 2012 IBA ENCANTO PRO PUERTO RICO

  ISABELA, PUERTO RICO-  2x World Champion Jeff Hubbard (Hawaii) won the 2012 IBA Encanto Pro at Middles in Isabela, Puerto Rico on the final day of the competition window (November 2nd-13th) last week.  With this, his third win of the season (Pipeline, Zicatela, and now Puerto Rico), Hubb goes into the final event of the 2012 tour with the points lead and an opportunity to claim his third world championship.  Stay tuned for more on this...

  Also, walking away with victories at the 2012 IBA Encanto Pro were South African Sacha Specker in the Drop Knee Pro and Brazilian Karla Costa-Taylor in the Womens Pro.  Specker, whom had already clinched the 2012 DKWT title, managed an oustanding performance and placed an exclamation point on a stellar season.

  1999 Womens World Champion Karla Costa-Taylor finished off the 2012 WWT with an impressive performance, including a perfect 10 scored along her way to victory at Middles.  Her win in Puerto Rico was proof-positive that she continues to regain her championship form and is a legitimate contender for the 2013 WWT championship.  For more information on the 2012 IBA Encanto Pro, visit the following link:

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/11/jeff-hubbard-wins-2012-iba-encanto-pro/


IT ALL COMES DOWN TO FRONTON!

  GRAN CANARIA, CANARY ISLANDS-  The 2012 IBA men's world title will be determined in the season finale, event #8 of 8, at the 2012 IBA NMD VS Fronton Pro in Galdar, Gran Canaria (December 7th-16th).  2x World Champion Jeff Hubbard enters the event ranked #1 in the world, holding a slim 60 point lead over the other remaining title contender Dave Winchester (Australia).  Winny, who finished second behind Hubb in the 2009 title chase, is looking to claim his first world championship.  For more on this story, please visit the following link:

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/11/the-iba-2012-nmd-vs-fronton-pro/

  For those of you not familiar with Fronton, it is considered one of the best waves in the world for high-performance bodyboarding.  Fronton features bowling lefts and rights, with gaping barrels and ramp sections, breaking over a very shallow and extremely dangerous reef.  Watch this video clip for a better idea of what to expect from the season finale at Fronton!

DKWT FINAL RANKINGS

  Here are the final rankings for the International Bodyboarding Association's 2012 Drop Knee World Tour.

1.  Sacha Specker (South Africa)
2.  Dave Hubbard (Hawaii)
3.  Cesar Bauer (Peru)
4.  Pancho Galdos (Peru)
5.  Ardiel Jimenez (Canary Islands)
6.  Daniel Alvez (Brazil)
7.  Kiko Galdos (Peru)
8.  Ricardo Sotelo (Peru)
9.  Jeff Hubbard (Hawaii)
10. Alberto Collucci (Venezuela)


WWT FINAL RANKINGS

  Here are the final rankings for the International Bodyboarding Association's 2012 Women's World Tour.

1.  Isabela Sousa (Brazil)
2.  Karla Costa-Taylor (Brazil)
3.  Eunate Aguirre (Basque)
4.  Maylla Venturin (Brazil)
5.  Minami Hatekayama (Japan)
6.  Sari Oohara (Japan)
7.  Neymara Carvalho (Brazil)
8. Catarina Sousa (Portugal)
9.  Lilly Pollard (Australia)
10.  Luz Marie Grande Perez (Puerto Rico)


  For more information regarding the IBA World Tour, please visit the following link:
www.ibaworldtour.com

(All photos by the IBA unless otherwise noted.)