PHYS. ED.: How to Stay Stoked When the Waves Suck

PHYS. ED.: How to Stay Stoked When the Waves Suck
 

No matter where in the world you might live, or how consistent your local breaks may be, sooner or later we have to deal with less than optimum wave conditions.  Whether it’s a small junky wind swell or the dreaded flat spell, we all have to deal with times when the waves just are not providing any motivation for bodyboarding.  If you can find ways to stay stoked on bodyboarding and keep yourself from getting all bummed out over the lack of waves you should be able to create some good times, stay physically prepared for the next round of solid swell, and even psych yourself up to push your riding limits!  Here are a few tips:

WATCH BODYBOARDING VIDEOS…watching your favorite riders scoring sick waves from around the world can not only help keep you stoked, it can be a great study tool.  Paying close attention to body positioning, trim lines, and where maneuvers are being executed can help you improve your techniques and style. Using the slow motion and pause features on your DVD player can definitely help to pick up small details that you might otherwise miss.  You can always hit up plenty of bodyboarding video footage on YouTube with Heats-On-Demand, video highlights, and “How To” videos at www.youtube.com/ibaworldtour as well as video clips from www.youtube.com/usbatour among many others.  For the latest bodyboarding videos, hit up your local bodyboard shop or your favorite online bodyboard retailer.  *EXTRA CREDIT:  Increase and share the stoke by organizing a “Video Night”…invite your crew over, grab some healthy snacks and your favorite bodyboard vids, enjoy!

READ BODYBOARDING BOOKS/MAGAZINES…Diving into any one of your favorite online or print bodyboarding mags can help get you amped, get the imagination going, and might even inspire you to book a trip to somewhere in the world with better waves.  Also, I highly recommend purchasing a copy of ‘The Bodyboard Travel Guide: Where to Score the World’s Best Bodyboarding Waves’ by Owen Pye (Orca Publications).  If this book doesn’t inspire you to want to travel and explore new waves, I don’t know what will!

 HAVE A TRAINING ROUTINE…Stay fit by setting up a workout routine for yourself. Swimming, running on the sand, yoga…any kind of training routine will help to keep you primed and ready to go for the next good swell.  Get out into the ocean as much as possible with activities like, snorkeling, diving.  If there is a small wave rolling through, get a few of your friends together and run simulated contest heats…it’s a great way to have a fun session with your friends and stay in competitive form.  Any thing that keeps you in the ocean is a good thing!

KNOCK OUT THAT “TO-DO” LIST…get as much stuff done as possible while the waves suck so that when the next swell fills in, there’s nothing keeping you from getting out in the water and scoring the waves you’ve been waiting for.

Most importantly, no matter how bad the surf conditions are or how long the flat spell may be, keep a POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE!

Until the next time…have a great weekend and pray for surf…YEEEWWW!!!

GEOGRAPHY: Jenks (New Jersey, USA)

GEOGRAPHY: Jenks (New Jersey, USA)

With the United States Bodyboarding Association (USBA) season finale, The 2012 Scion Jenks Pro, rapidly approaching I thought this would be a good opportunity to take a closer look at Jenks on the US east coast...

Located in New Jersey, in the northeastern United States, Jenks is considered one of the more powerful high-performance oriented waves on the US east coast. It is known for its ledgy peaks, hollow barrels, bowly wedges, and ramp sections. The break is primarily a left peak, breaking just off of a jetty, with a secondary right-hand peak just to the south known as "The Boneyard." Swell comes in out of a deep water trench causing the waves here to pack a bit more punch than your average east coast beachbreak. Jenks breaks best at low tide with west (offshore) winds and picks up northeast and south/southeast swells best. This spot goes off during winter Nor'easters (large, powerful low pressure systems pushing off the east coast...almost like a winter hurricane), and during the Atlantic Hurricane Season (June 1st-November 30th). If there's a storm in the water off the coast this place can seriously light up and provide some magical sessions! To get an idea of what I'm talking about, check out this video clip from the 2006 Jenks Pro with swell from Tropical Storm Ernesto:

Jenks, which gets it's name from Jenkinson's boardwalk and amusements on the beachfront, has played host to the Jenks Pro since 2005. It has not only seen the best bodyboarders from the United States mainland and Hawaii head here every September, but has been graced with the presence of many top level international riders like 2x World Champion Damian King from Australia and 6x World Champion Guilherme Tamega from Brazil as well.

Jenks is home to a very protective local surfing community. The line-up is generally pretty crowded, on anything from a small summer swell to a solid nor'easter, providing for a heavy vibe at times as well as some aggressive paddling. Jeff Beverly Sr. has been surfing Jenks for 30+ years and is considered, by many (myself included), to be the patriarch of the surfing community at Jenks. Some of the most recognizeable bodyboarding talent to come from Jenks are Larry McGinn (one of the first NJ bodyboarders to go pro), Mike Murphy, Chris Schlegel, Chris Constantino, and Jason Bitzer.  Over the past decade, Jenks has become somewhat of a proving ground for the New Jersey surfing and bodyboarding communities. This has served to increase the already crowded line-up, so don't expect to just paddle out and make yourself at home. You're going to need to pay your dues, so to speak, and work your way into the line-up here.

(Photo: Chris Zeh...Steve Jackson in the Boneyard.)

So, there you have it...a quick look at Jenks and, hopefully, a taste of what we can expect during the 2012 USBA Scion Jenks Pro (Sept. 1st-10th). Be sure to visit www.usbatour.com for all of the latest news, updates, highlights, photo gallery, and more for the Jenks Pro. Until the next time, pray for surf...YEEEWWW!!!

APPLIED SCIENCES: How to Repair a Bodyboard

APPLIED SCIENCES: How to Repair a Bodyboard

  Do you have a "magic board' you're not quite ready to part with? did you damage your board out in the water or, worse yet, suffer damage while transporting your board on a trip?  Knowing how to perform repairs to your bodyboard, especially while travelling, can mean the difference between getting out in the water to score that epic session and being sidelined on the beach while your friends have all the fun.  Check out these video clips for some quick and easy tips to help fix those dings, gashes, delaminations, and frayed rails:

  Hopefully, these suggestions come in handy if you ever find yourself in a bind and need a quick fix on the fly.  Get it fixed, get out in the water, and enjoy...YEEEWWW!!!

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

MITCH RAWLINS WINS 2012 NMD SHARK ISLAND CHALLENGE

Mitch Rawlins celebrating his win. Photo: Trouville

  The 2012 NMD Shark Island Challenge was run in 2 meter waves at the infamous Shark Island in the Cronulla region of Sydney, Australia.  20 of the world's best bodyboarders, including four trialists from the Australian national tour, were invited to compete in this International Bodyboarding Association (IBA) specialty event that had a 3 month waiting period for one day of intense competition.  Here are the final results below:

Mitch...pitted at Shark Island. Photo: Trouville

(SIC Final)
1st - Mitch Rawlins
2nd - Ewan Donnachie
3rd - Jason Finlay
4th - Damian King

  For more information and photos from the 2012 NMD Shark Island Challenge, be sure to visit these links:

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/07/2012-nmd-shark-island-challenge-complete/

www.sharkislandchallenge.com

...and stay tuned to www.youtube.com/ibaworldtour for video highlights!


ISRAEL EDUARDO WINS FEBBRJ MATTE LEAO IPANEMA PRO

(Mens Pro)

1. Israel Eduardo – Rio das Ostras

2. Helliton Loureiro – Espírito Santo

3. Diego Vieira – Leme (RJ)

4. Bruno Invyk – Campos

(Womens Pro)

1. Maira Viana – Espírito Santo

2. Jéssica Becker – Macaé

3. Neymara Carvalho – Espírito Santo

4. Isabela Sousa – Ceará

(Mens Open)

1. Adejaldo Silva – São João da Barra

2. Rodrigo Otávio – Posto 5, Copacabana (RJ)

3. Jonathan Cardoso – Posto 5, Copacabana (RJ)

4. Daniel Ferreira – Posto 5, Copacabana (RJ)

(Womens Open)

1. Marilene Fernandez – Espirito Santo

2. Luisa Albuquerque – Recreio (RJ)

3. Luiza Sardinha – Campos

4. Hengy Santos – Pernambuco

(16 & Under)

1. Kayque Thomaz – Recreio (RJ)

2. Sócrates Santana – Posto 5, Copacabana (RJ)

3. Matheus Bastos – Posto 5, Copacabana (RJ)

4. Pedro Valim – Niterói

  For more information about the FEBBRJ (Federacao de Bodyboard de Rio de Janiero), the 2012 Rio Matte Leao Bodyboard tour schedule, rider profiles, and rankings visit the official FEBBRJ site:

http://febbrj.com.br/

HAWAIIAN KAHEKILI LABATTE JOINS CUSTOM X BODYBOARDS TEAM

  For more information on Custom X Bodyboards and Kahekili Labatte, be sure to check out www.custom-x.com as well as Custom X Bodyboards and Custom X Hawaii on Facebook.

  Well, that's the latest in the world of bodyboarding!  Stay tuned to BODYBOARDING 101 for daily blogs and updates every day Monday through Friday.  Until the next time around, I hope you're all scoring good waves and good times...YEEEWWW!!!

IN-FLIGHT STATUS: Travel Day

IN-FLIGHT STATUS: Travel Day

Just a quick heads up for everybody...I will be travelling tomorrow (Monday). BODYBOARDING 101 blogs will resume on Tuesday. Until then, I hope you all had an amazing weekend and have a great start to your week! I'll catch up with all of you in a couple of days...YEEEWWW!!!
Sincerest Regards,
Steve "Action" Jackson

GEOGRAPHY: Posto 5 (Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil)

GEOGRAPHY: Posto 5 (Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil)

  With the confirmation of the IBA Rio Bodyboarding International 2012, I thought this would be a good time to cover the waves of Posto 5, one of the primary competition locations for this recently announced event.  To learn more about the IBA Rio Bodyboarding International 2012 event, please visit the IBA world tour website at the following link:

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/07/rio-bodyboarding-international/

  Located in Copacabana, in the Zona Sul (Southern Zone) section of Rio de Janeiro, Posto 5 (also referred to as P5) is a powerful beachbreak wave that breaks in shallow water. On larger swells of 3 meters (10ft) or bigger, there is an outside reef called "Sorriso" (meaning "Smile") that starts to break. During these larger swells, the waves peak up over Sorriso as mostly fat slow-rollers requiring alot of cutting back and positioning until working into the inside at P5 where the wave stands up and turns into a heaving beachbreak wave with fast wide-open barrels on the clean days.  International bodyboarders such as Matt Lackey (Australia) have referred to P5 as "the Puerto Escondido of Brazil."  For an idea of what to expect from a session at P5 on a big swell, check out this video clip:

Also, click on the link below to watch another clip from P5:

http://vimeo.com/23772596


  Even on smaller swells, Posto 5 tends to have a lot of power as well as a lot of current in the water.  If you paddle out at P5, you are going to want to be sure to line yourself up with the buildings on the beachfront and pay close attention to the visible signs of rips pushing out through the line-up.  Also, the line-up can get very crowded and requires some aggressive paddling if you are going to get any waves there.  If you're looking to score P5 less crowded, hitting up an early morning dawn patrol session is going to be your best bet.

Posto 5 local Daniel Ferreira airing it out.  Daniel had solid results at the Arica Chilean Trials and made the main event at the Itacoatiara Pro this year.  He's one of the young Brazilians to keep an eye out for. Photo: Oswaldo Luiz Siqueira

  Posto 5 is the home break for a very large group of talented bodyboarders including the likes of 6x World Champion Guilherme Tamega, Hermano Castro, Francirley Ferreira, Diego Roberto, Rodrigo Octavio, and Daniel Ferreira as well as Brazil's versions of the "supergrom" with Socrates "Doutorzinho" Santana and Matheus Bastos.

With waves like this, it's easy to see why Posto 5 is called "The Puerto Escondido of Brazil."  P5 local Hermano Castro scoring the goods. Photo: Oswaldo Luiz Siqueira

  So, there you have it...a quick look at Posto 5 and perhaps a taste of what we might see during the IBA Rio Bodyboarding International 2012 (Sept. 11th-16th)...until then, pray for surf... YEEEWWW!!!

APPLIED SCIENCES: How to Take Care of Your Bodyboard

APPLIED SCIENCES: How to Take Care of Your Bodyboard

  Here is a video clip of Jay Reale from Ebodyboarding.com providing some quick and easy tips to help take care of you bodyboard:

  Hopefully, this will help you to prolong the life of your bodyboard...enjoy...YEEEWWW!!!

For more, visit:  www.ebodyboarding.com

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

  The last couple of weeks have been rather busy in the world of bodyboarding, so let's get right into it...

THE IBA ZICATELA PRO IS ON

  Earlier this week, the IBA announced that the efforts of the "Save Puerto" campaign "has been effective enough so far for organizers to commit to staging the event in late September."  The Zicatela Pro has been rescheduled for September 27th through October 6th.  For more information on the rescheduling of this event, as well as more information for the ongoing "Salvemos Puerto" campaign and how you can help please click on the links below:

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/07/zicatella-pro-back-on/

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/07/salvemos-puerto/


IBA RIO BODYBOARDING INTERNATIONAL EVENT CONFIRMED

Brazilian Hermano Castro at his homebreak of Posto 5, one of the event locations for the 2012 IBA Rio Bodyboarding International. Photo: Oswaldo Luis Sigueira

  The IBA has confirmed the addition of the Rio Bodyboarding International event this week.  The Rio Bodyboarding International will be a US$30,000 Womens World Tour Grand Slam Series and a US$45,000 Mens 6-star Global Qualifier Series event. This event is scheduled for September 11th-16th, immediately following the 6-star Jenks Pro GQS (Sept. 1st-10th, New Jersey, USA).  For more information on this event, check out the link below:

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/07/rio-bodyboarding-international/


TANNER MCDANIEL JOINS THE ALPHA CAMPAIGN

  Clothing company THE ALPHA CAMPAIGN has announced the signing of Hawaiian supergrom Tanner McDaniel to their team.  For more information on The Alpha Campaign, please visit their website:

http://www.thealphacampaign.com/



REEFLEX USA SIGNS JEFF AND DAVE HUBBARD

  Reeflex Wetsuits USA has announced the signing of 2x World Champion Jeff Hubbard and 4x DK World Champion Dave Hubbard to their team.  For more information, visit their website:

http://www.reeflexwetsuitsusa.com/


15 YEAR OLD SAMMY MORRETINO WINS USBA SANDY BEACH PRO

Sammy's winning wave in the Mens Pro Final.

Oahu, Hawaii-  15yr old Kauai wonderkid Sammy Morretino made history by winning the 2012 USBA Dave & Buster's Sandy Beach Pro (July 7th-8th).  Morretino also finished 2nd in the DK Pro, 3rd in the Open Mens Amateur, and 3rd in the 14-18 Amateur divisions.  Dave Hubbard (Hawaii) won the DK Pro, and Karla Costa Taylor (Brazil/Hawaii) won the Womens Pro.  Here are the final results:

(Mens Pro)
1st - Sammy Morretino - Hawaii
2nd - Jeff Hubbard - Hawaii
3rd - Dave Hubbard - Hawaii
4th - Matt Holzman - Hawaii

(Womens Pro)
1st - Karla Costa Taylor - Brazil/Hawaii
2nd - Liana Carlson - Hawaii
3rd - Roberta Bitzer - Brazil/Hawaii
4th - Claudia Ferrari - Brazil/Hawaii

(DK Pro)
1st - Dave Hubbard - Hawaii
2nd - Sammy Morretino - Hawaii
3rd - Kawika Kamai - Hawaii
4th - Brian Stoehr - Maryland

(Mens Open Amateur)
1st - Matt Holzman - Hawaii
2nd - Boo Boo Cazemiro - Hawaii
3rd - Sammy Morretino - Hawaii
4th - Ethan Nevers - Hawaii

(14-18 Amateur)
1st - Sam Mediros - Hawaii
2nd - Tanner McDaniel - Hawaii
3rd - Sammy Morretino - Hawaii
4th - Keanu Gregory - Hawaii

(13 & Under Amateur)
1st - Tanner McDaniel - Hawaii
2nd - Keoki Merault - Hawaii
3rd - John Daniel Kalama - Hawaii
4th - Dylan Lee - Hawaii
5th - Calvin Cerrone - Hawaii
6th - Shaydon Wolfe - Hawaii

Check out the highlight clip from the 2012 USBA Dave & Buster's Sandy Beach Pro...

For more information, visit www.usbatour.com


  That's going to do it for this week's CURRENT EVENTS on BODYBOARDING 101.  Catch ya next time around...YEEEWWW!!! -Action Jackson

IN-FLIGHT STATUS: Travel Days

IN-FLIGHT STATUS: Travel Days

  Just a quick heads up for everybody...I will be travelling for the next couple of days to start off this week.  BODYBOARDING 101 blogs will resume on Thursday.  Until then, I hope you all had an amazing weekend and have a great start to your week!  I'll catch up with all of you from the United States in a couple of days...YEEEWWW!!!
Sincerest Regards,
Steve "Action" Jackson

...heading back to the US this week, then off to Mexico for Cabo Freak Fest 2012 in a couple of weeks. Action Jackson vs. the backwash at La Bocana. MannyVphoto.

PHYS. ED.: Post-Session Recovery Stretches

PHYS. ED.: Post-Session Recovery Stretches

  Riptide and Bio-Engineered Bend and Stretch: Tom and Alex Bunting...Tom explains the importance of building core strength and flexibility to help recover from long surf sessions. Alex lets us know, that since he has been implementing these simple exercises into his routine, he feels stronger, more flexible, and less fatigued.  Click on the link and check out the video:

http://vimeo.com/43222258

Have a great weekend...YEEEWWW!!!

GEOGRAPHY: Puerto Escondido

GEOGRAPHY: Puerto Escondido

  Puerto Escondido (meaning "Hidden Port") is located in Oaxaca, Mexico.  It began as a small fishing village in the early 20th century.  In the 1960's, Highway 200 was built, connecting the Oaxacan coastal towns to Acapulco. This opened the way for travelling surfers and tourists to find the prestine beaches around Puerto and tourism began to flourish.  Puerto Escondido is one of the most important tourist attractions on the Oaxacan coast as well as one of the oldest tourist destinations in the region.  It is a top destination for bodyboarders, surfers, backpackers, and Mexican families with the beaches and waves being it's main attractions. The most famous of these beaches is the internationally known Zicatela, nicknamed "The Mexican Pipeline," which is known for it's big wave potential and plays host to the IBA Zicatela Pro and other surf related competitions.

Puerto perfection! Photo: IBA/ Sacha Specker

For more information, google "Puerto Escondido, Mexico" and you can also click on this link for Wikipedia (which I used as a reference point for the information above):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Escondido,_Oaxaca

  In early June, Puerto Escondido was devastated by Hurricane Carlotta, a Category 2 hurricane that was originally forecasted to be nothing more than a tropical storm.  In an effort to help rebuild Puerto Escondido and revive the tourism-based economy, the IBA has launched the "Salvemos Puerto" campaign.

  The IBA, in an effort to raise funds for the rebuilding of Puerto Escondido, has "Salvemos Puerto" t-shirts...as well as industry packs donated by Turbo Bodyboards, Inverted Bodyboard Shop, Reeflex Wetsuits, and Freedom Fins...for sale.  Proceeds go to the "Save Puerto" campaign.  To make a purchase, please visit:
 http://shop.ibaworldtour.com/

Andrew Lester wearing his "Salvemos Puerto" t-shirt.

  Also, the IBA has made the 2011 Zicatela Pro documentary available for a $5 donation to the "Salvemos Puerto" campaign.  To make a donation, and see the documentary go to:
http://my.ibaworldtour.com/

Dallas Singer with a huge air at the 2011 Zicatela Pro. Photo: IBA/Ray Collins

  For more information on the "Salvemos Puerto" campaign and how you can help along with all the latest news, updates, photo galleries and more stay tuned to www.ibaworldtour.com

Mitch Rawlins lending a helping hand in Mexico.  Will you help the IBA help Puerto? Photo: IBA/Sacha Specker

APPLIED SCIENCES: How to Wax Your Bodyboard

APPLIED SCIENCES: How to Wax Your Bodyboard

  South African Jared Houston provides some quick and easy tips for waxing your bodyboard in the video clip below, filmed by Manny Vargas:

  There you have it.  Now, you're all set to wax up your board, hit the water, and have some fun!  See you next time...YEEEWWW!!!

Waxed up and ready to hit the water!

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

CURRENT EVENTS: Bodyboarding News

JARED HOUSTON WINS TAND INVITATIONAL

Jared Houston will be heading home with a little extra coin to his name after collecting the winner's check at this year's Tand Invitational.

South Africa-  Jared Houston won the 2012 IBA Tand Invitationl presented by Turbo Bodyboards today.  In doing so, he has successfully defended his 2011 Tand championship to become a back-to-back winner, and took home this year's winner's check for $20,000 Rand.

Mark McCarthy getting deep. Photo: Cobus Bosman

Results for the 2012 Tand Invitational Final:
1st - Jared Houston
2nd - Mark McCarthy
3rd - Adam Morley
4th - Henk Esterhysen

For more information, be sure to visit Tand Invitational 2012 on Facebook and www.ibaworldtour.com for all of the latest news and photos.


SHARK ISLAND CHALLENGE ON HOLD FOR THIS WEEK

Australia-  IBA Technical Director/ SIC Event Organizer Alex Leon has put The 2012 IBA NMD Shark Island Challenge on hold for this week, opting to wait for better conditions to line up for this year's event.

http://ibaworldtour.com/2012/07/nmd-sic-on-hold-this-week/

Stay tuned to www.sharkislandchallenge.com and www.ibaworldtour.com for updates.


UPCOMING EVENTS:

IBA Australasia/ Rebel Sports Australian Tour
The Box Beach Pro (Port Stephens, July 6th-8th)

Current 2012 IBA Australasia Rankings:

1 - Mark McCarthy - South Africa - 2123pts.
2 - Mitch Rawlins - Queensland - 2100pts.
3 - Charlie Holt - New South Wales - 2048pts.
4 - Andrew Lester - New South Wales - 2003pts.
5 - Ryan Hardy - Western Australia - 1920pts.
6 - Jones Russell - New South Wales - 1838pts.
7 - Sacha Specker - South Africa - 1752pts.
8 - Sam Bennett - New South Wales - 1673pts.
9 - Lewy Finnegan - Western Australia - 1628pts.
10 - Michael Novy - Queensland - 1625pts.
10 - Jared Houston - South Africa - 1625pts.

Be sure to visit www.ibaaustralasia.com for more information about the IBAA, the Rebel Sports Tour, and The Box Beach Pro.

IBA America/ USBA National Tour
Sandy Beach Pro (Oahu, Hawaii July 7th-8th)

Here's the link for the latest press release and the promo clip below for you to check out:
http://www.usbatour.com/blog/press-release-1

Current 2012 USBA Tour Rankings:

(Men's Pro - after one event)
1 - Dave Hubbard - Hawaii - 1000pts.
2 - Jeff Hubbard - Hawaii - 860pts.
3 - Danny Hart - California - 730pts.
4 - Brian Wise - Hawaii - 670pts.
5 - Matt Holzman - Hawaii - 610pts.
5 - Tanner McDaniel - 610pts.

(Women's Pro - after two events)
1 - Claudia Ferrari - Hawaii/Brazil - 1285pts.
2 - Roberta Bitzer - Hawaii/Brazil - 1280pts.
3 - Karla Costa Taylor - Hawaii/Brazil - 1000pts.
3 - Vicki Reale - California/Australia - 1000pts.
5 - Lumar Guittard - Venezuela - 990pts.

(DK Pro - after one event)
1 - Sammy Morrentino - Hawaii - 1000pts.
2 - Dave Hubbard - Hawaii - 860pts.
3 - Bud Miyamoto - Hawaii - 730pts.
4 - Shane Griffiths - Australia - 670pts.
5 - Dan Worley - Florida - 610pts.
5 - Joe Grodzen - California - 610pts.

Visit www.usbatour.com for more information on the USBA national tour.

That's it for this week's edition of CURRENT EVENTS.  Stay tuned for updates on the Shark Island Challenge, the IBA "Salvemos Puerto" campaign, results for the Box Beach Pro and Sandy Beach Pro, along with whatever other news-worthy items may pop up in the world of bodyboarding.  Until then, I hope to see you out in the water...YEEEWWW!!!

HISTORY: The Shark Island Challenge

HISTORY: The Shark Island Challenge

  The Shark Island Challenge (SIC) was an International Association of Professional Bodyboarders (APB) invitational specialty event held each year in Cronulla (Sydney, Australia), to the south of Cronulla Bay and Cronulla Point.  Here at Shark Island, these right-hand waves roll in out of deep water and break over a sharp, extremely dangerous rock shelf reef making for thick pitching lips and heavy slabbing conditions.  Shark Island tends to break best on east-southeast swells.  On swells that are more east or more northeast, riders have to contend with what is known as "The Surge" (a secondary peak that forms just to the north of the main peak), which can make riding this wave even more difficult.

Shark Island at it's finest...SIC Competition Director Alex Leon pulling into a beast!  Photo: Gleeson 

  The first Shark Island Challenge was organized by Nathan Purcell and Mark Fordham, and was run in 1997.  In 20+ years of the Shark Island Challenge, only two non-Australians have won this event.  Here is the list of SIC Champions:

1997 - Matt Percy - Australia

1998 - Steve "Bullet" Mackenzie - Australia

1999 - Christian "Rissole" Riguccini - Australia

2000 - Mike Stewart - Hawaii

2001 - Damian King - Australia

2002 - Guilherme Tamega - Brazil

2003 - Guilherme Tamega - Brazil

2004 - Guilherme Tamega - Brazil

2005 - *NO WINNER DECLARED*- Event was cancelled in the quarterfinals, two days prior to the end of the competition window, due to lack of surf. The 16 quartefinalists shared the $50,000 prize.

2006 - Ryan Hardy - Australia

2007 - Ben Player - Australia

2008 - Ben Player - Australia

2009 - Ewan Donnachie - Australia

2010 - Ryan Hardy - Australia

2011 - Dave Winchester - Australia

2012 - Mitch Rawlins - Australia

2013 - Josh Kaihe - Australia

2014 - Andrew Lester - Australia

2015 - POSTPONED UNTIL 2016

2016 - Mitch Rawlins - Australia

2017 - Jase Finlay - Australia

2018 - NO CONTEST

2019 - *Shark Island and Mystics were alternate locations for the 2019 APB Kiama Bodyboard King Pro (August 2nd-11th).