The young and the reckless

When American surfer and entrepreneur Tom Morey took to shaping a rectangular piece of polyethylene foam in 1971, he couldn’t have had any idea of the profound effect it would have on the surfing community worldwide. Named the 'boogie board' because of the inventors passion for boogie rhythms, it wasn’t just a board that emerged, and allowed him to feel the contours of the waves like no surfboard he’d ever ridden, but a new lifestyle sport inspired by the Bahá'í Faith that focuses on the spiritual unity of all humankind.

It wasn’t long before Morey’s new invention gained popularity, but it wasn’t until a young Mike Stewart started surfing impressively well as a Morey team rider and big wave charger did the bodyboard earn its place as what many call one of the best sports inventions and innovations of all time.

Pioneering bodyboarding

Stewart has been at the forefront of bodyboarding since its inception, and is regarded as the godfather of bodyboarding and a pioneer of big wave tow-in surfing. By his teens, he had already shaken up the bodyboarding world by abandoning the traditional drop-knee way of wave riding to more innovative techniques he invented, such as aerial 360s, barrel rolls, and reverse airs, to name a few. No one could come close in comparison to Stewart, he had his own style, one that would influence tens of thousands of people worldwide as he competed in countless contests and staked his claim as one of the greatest surfers of all time.

"He has led bodyboarding through every stage of progression, from air moves and charging big pipe and Teahupo’o, to towing into big jaws and chopes," said fellow professional bodyboarder Ryan Hardy. It’s not just what he’s done, but how he has been able to do it and his progress in the development of bodyboarding as a world-recognised water sport is inspirational.

Growing popularity

What started out as an underground sport that took a back seat to surfing is steadily making its way into a recognised ocean sport. More and more companies, both nationally and internationally, are embracing the sport and sponsoring events by shelling out more prize money and product prizes than ever before and maybe more than was ever conceived.

There is also a surge in popularity among the younger generation of bodyboarders and many are taking it upon themselves to give the sport more recognition through the act of fierce competition. Bodyboarding has become an elite spectacle, showcasing talented riders, while providing spectators with the opportunity to witness a sport that gets its reputation from its gravity-defying aerials and trick combinations.

Local talent

South Africa has always been rich in talent and professional riders such as Sacha Specker, Jared Houston, and Mark McCarthy, who have all contested on the International Bodyboard Association (IBA) World Tour, have paved the way for the youth of South African bodyboarding to emerge like never before. For most South Africans, being a professional bodyboarder and making it onto the World Tour, sponsored by a plethora of large companies, is a huge feat and in most eyes, an unachievable one. However, over the last few years, more young and talented riders have been making themselves known through their ever-increasing entries into South African bodyboarding competitions in the hopes of establishing a career in bodyboarding.

‘Super Grom’ Tristan Roberts, 16, an emerging South African star, has placed in over 15 competitions within the last three years, riding in both the younger divisions of Boys and Juniors, as well as the Pros in the same contests. He also secured a Red Bull South Africa sponsorship this year when he was crowned 2013 Tand Invitational Champion. Roberts, who draws praise from seasoned bodyboarders, is set on pushing the limits of the sport and well on his way to securing himself a place on the World Tour.

However, Roberts is not alone. This year’s 27th annual Bodyboarding Championships, which featured 160 of the country’s top bodyboarders, was an impressive display of young talent as the Junior and Boys' divisions battled it out to become South African Champion in their respective division. “I feel that in the past few years, the SA talent has not only become better but we have seen more younger guys emerging! I think the time is right for these young guys to pursue their dreams and go all out,” says Jarret Johnson, owner of Zion South Africa and co-organiser of the Tand Invitational.

Driven by their goal of succeeding in the bodyboarding industry, like that of Specker, Houston, and McCarthy, there’s no doubt that this next generation of bodyboarders will represent South Africa on a much grander scale on the IBA World Tour one day.

Changing dynamics

Years ago, dreams of running the sport of bodyboarding through the bodyboarders themselves was an idea that seemed far-fetched. Back in 2000, Tom Boyle, a former professional bodyboarder, was quoted as saying that, “They’ve been waiting a long time for bodyboarders to take their destiny into their own hands and run the sport.” That dream is beginning to take shape now, as more and more bodyboarders are crying out for the events to be run by people who know the most about wave riding and can ensure that the sport’s money is used correctly and effectively.

When Jarret Johnson, of Zion South Africa, came back from Hawaii after witnessing and taking part in the 2011 IBA Pipe Challenge, he was motivated to put together an innovative competition. While it recognised that the national bodyboarding industry needed to be taken in a new direction with less focus on run-of-the-mill competitions, it focused more on larger competitions at better waves. Johnson and Co-organiser Simon Heale wanted an event that showcased high-performance, extreme bodyboarding action at one of South Africa's heaviest reef breaks. They wanted something that was run for them, by them, and would in turn give back to the bodyboarding community and help it grow. They created the Tand Invitational, an action-packed spectator event with a format of 16 competitors, including four finalists from the previous year’s event, four impressive local riders, and four wild card entrants selected by the event organisers. “The moves are always incredibly high risk, the waves are a lot more intense, and the results are spectacular,” Heale says. That is what the general spectator wants to see. They want to see big air and dangerous manoeuvres.