WTF Is Happening With The IBC?

Dan Dobbin picture
Dan Dobbin (dandob)
Swellnet Dispatch

It's interesting listening to the thoughts and opinions about the current WSL tour from over the fence. There's often much justified hand-wringing about the direction and actions the WSL inflicts on the surfing community. So, in the spirit of misery loves company, we should take some time to get y'all up to speed with some of the happenings on the bodyboarding world tour. 

The boogin' world ain't no stranger to the comings and goings and collapsing of governing bodies and world tours. Surfing has had three bodies since '76: IPS, ASP, and WSL, but we've had four since 96’, beginning with GOB , then the IBA, the APB, and now the IBC (you can play your own guessing game on what each acronym stands for in the comments if you're so inclined). Each tour has fluctuated through various formats and levels of public engagement.

The IBC is essentially a collaboration of contest organisers and promoters who have banded together to promote their contests under a banner of a world tour. If you can put on an event which satisfies the IBC’s criteria for prize money, safety procedures, and community support your event can become part of the “world tour” schedule. Which makes it kinda like the old ASP, but without the corporate QuikBongRip bankrolling.

Similarly to the WSL, the events rely largely on various governmental tourism bodies as the main sponsors of the events, with additional funds drawn from regional sponsors, and limited backing from a handful of bodyboard companies, as well as rider entry fees.

Dissimilarly to the WSL, it doesn’t have a philanthropic billionaire to underwrite its operational costs, and there's no second-tier tours or qualifying competitions. If you think you're good enough, you can pay the $250 (USD) membership to the IBC and a contest entry fee, then compete in a world tour event.

The world champion in the men's division is crowned from a riders top four results from a possible eight sanctioned contests. The reason only four results count is a concession to the fact that following a tour all around the world to all eight stops isn't a sustainable financial possibility for all but, say, the top five pro riders. The women’s division is smaller again with three contests deciding the world champ. The IBC also crowns junior men’s and women’s champions. Riders are seeded higher into later rounds based on their results from the previous year and current events as the year progresses.

The tour attracts many South American and European-based riders (where bodyboarding participation rates are on an upward trend), and a few US/Hawaiian riders. Outside of a handful of riders competing in the Maldives and the final event at El Fronton, Australian riders are largely absent, with many citing the cost of attending contests as the main barrier. This contrasts sharply with the early 2000’s when Aussie riders were the dominant force on the then IBA tour.

Last year’s tour had decent to good waves at each venue. The first two events were held on volcanic reefs in Chile (Antofagasta and Arica, with the Arica comp being a particular highlight because it always delivers cracking hollow waves, but more on that later) moving into beachbreaks in Brazil and Portugal, coral atoll reef at the Maldives Pro, the Moroccan Pro was cancelled in 2023 because of the devastating earthquake, and the final event was held at the heaving slab that is El Fronton in the Canary Islands.

Overview of El Fronton (IBC)

However, a series of controversies dogged the tour throughout the year that have many questioning the credibility and longevity of the IBC.

Clouds of discontent started gathering midway through 2023 when the 2022 Female World Champion and head and shoulders best female rider in the world, Isabela Sousa, announced she would no longer compete in IBC events. 

Isabela’s withdrawal stemmed from her belief that the women riders were not being given equal opportunity to compete in the best conditions at quality waves. Part of her statement reads (translated from Portuguese): “The world cup in any sport is where the best athletes come together in the best conditions, whether male or female. Frankly this is not the path I see the organisation taking with women and my fight with the technical part of the IBC has bought me consequences where I see no point in continuing to compete the tests of this organisation”.

What the “consequences” Sousa speaks of are unclear, however it's a big deal when your reigning world champion decides to no longer support your tour because she believes that women competitors aren't being valued.

Next came the Mike Stewart incident.

It's important to understand the unique place Mike Stewart has within the global bodyboarding community. He's competed in every version of elite competition since the first world bodyboarding championships in 1982, is a nine-times world champ, has sat as a riders representative or board member on all previous world tour organisations, sponsors events through his Science Bodyboards company, sometimes guest event commentator, and global boogin' ambassador. His nickname, used unironically, is 'The Godfather'. Mike Stewart is basically a sponging demigod.

Stewart, 60-years young, still competes in select world tour events. Throughout 2023, he'd surfed well enough in events to earn himself a seed into Round Four of the final event of the year at the Fronton Pro. However, the IBC ruled that because he'd failed to attend the competitor check in meeting on the 11th of October, he would be stripped of his place in the fourth round and would have to again surf from the first round trials if he wished to compete in the main event.

According to Mike's version of events, he'd been surfing in Indonesia and flight schedules left him unable to get him to the competitor pre-event check-in meeting. Stewart says he let the IBC know via email that he would be unable to make it in person, but he had his sponsored team rider and then current world tour leader Tanner McDaniel pay his entry fee and pick up his contest information package at the check-in meeting.

When he was bumped from the seeded rounds, Stewart subsequently withdrew from the competition, claiming “there’s no rule in the rule book that they can strip my ranking.”

In a passionate piece to camera on social media, Stewart states he took his position to ensure it doesn’t happen again to riders in the future and likened IBC officials to a “dictatorship regime” that are “completely unaccountable to anyone”.

With El Fronton heaving in the background, Mike Stewart registers his displeasure. Of interest are the first four comments, all noted stand-up surfers, testament to Stewart's transcendent popularity.

The IBC responded with a statement citing sections of their official rule book for their actions which read: 

Article 1.5.03 states “Failure to confirm intention to compete pursuant to 1.20.02 will result in loss of any seeding that competitor may have had going into the event.”

Article 1.6.03 said “Once a competitor is deemed to have entered an event, it will be assumed that they will compete at the event. Entrants are expected to confirm their attendance at an event check-in, details of which will be provided to all entrants prior to event commencement.”

In a separate email sent to all registered competitors regarding the competition check-in meeting, the IBC also stated: “Those competitors who do not attend without justification may be penalized in the competition and not receive their competitors kit”.

The public blowback against the IBC wasn't pretty. Even if the ambiguous rules applied could be judged to be technically right, the damage in terms of credibility in the global bodyboarding community to the IBC was significant.

Finally, as the Fronton contest got underway, information began to leak out that the only two riders left in world title contention, Frenchman Pierre-Louis Costes, who's a previous two-time world champ, and Tanner McDaniel, had not been paid their prize money for placing first ($5,000 USD) and second ($4,000 USD) respectively at Arica all the way back in May.

The media and public pressure only increased after McDaniel won his first world title. The IBC seemingly passed responsibility for the non-payments to the Arica event organisers who eventually released a lengthy statement on the 29th of December last year, shifting the blame on again to regional Chilean government who were the major financial backers of the event. 

In the statement, the Arica event organisers claimed that they had initially been promised $140,000,000 Peso’s ($230,000 AUD) by the regional government, before that amount was reduced to $60,000,000 ($99,000 AUD). Then three days into the contest the funding was finally slashed further to $37,000,000 ($61,000 AUD).

 After further negotiations with the Governor and the national government failed, the Arica contest organisers concluded: “The regional government played a trick on us, and with the event underway we had to continue and do our best for all, trusting it would be resolved, which did not happen. This has led to us being removed from the world tour and in a position to receive lawsuits for breach of contracts”.

Pierre-Louis Costes speaking after winning Arica, while to his left is second-placed Tanner McDaniel (Yerko Vasquez)

At the time of writing, McDaniel and Costes remain unpaid and McDaniel has strongly indicated that he would not be competing in IBC tour events this year.

While acknowledging that trying to run a professional world tour for a niche activity in an economic time of post-COVID high inflation is an almost impossible task, it's also pertinent to note that if the best female rider, the best male and reigning world champion, and the sports greatest icon are seemingly unwilling to compete in your events, there are probably some serious issues that need addressing.

The IBC tour schedule this year is looking increasingly anaemic. In light of the no payment controversy of last year, Arica has been scrapped, and of the eight listed Pro Men's events, three are listed as 'To Be Confirmed', while on the women's side three of the six Pro Women's tour locations are also 'TBC'.

Given that the 2024 IBC tour will probably be missing three of its biggest draw cards in Sousa, Stewart, and McDaniel, the seeming fragility of its tour schedule this year and a waning sense of support and legitimacy in the wider bodyboarding community, it will be interesting to see how things shake out in the world of professional bodyboarding this year.

Perhaps it won't be long until we need to memorise another acronym?

// DAN DOBBIN

Postscript: This morning the Breaking Even podcast posted a discussion with Tanner about the non-payments.

Comments

jasper99's picture
jasper99's picture
jasper99 Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 12:17pm

Good read Dan....unfortunately bodyboarding has never got its shit together as far as a world tour goes (GOB seemed the best version, mid 90's i think) and this may potentially be contributing to its participation rates going down.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 12:28pm

"The tour attracts many South American and European-based riders (where bodyboarding participation rates are on an upward trend), and a few US/Hawaiian riders."

That was interesting to me.

I just don't see any boog riders in the surf anymore- it's a real anomaly to see even one out there.

They seem to have gone the way of Goat boats in this region, at least.

What about Port Mac and other boog strongholds?

dandob's picture
dandob's picture
dandob Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 1:10pm

Yer Steve, when the IBA collapsed in the mid 2010's, around the same time as mags went dark and social media allowed advertising budgets to become non existent, it really took the knees out of interest and participation in bodyboarding in Oz. Just prior to its demise, the IBA was pulling in Live stream viewership numbers close to the ASP tour as boogin' was booming. There's still strong pockets in the Goldie, Coffs, Port Mac, Newy and the South Coast on the East Coast.

South America ( lots of Chilean riders and contests) especially is really seeing big upswings in numbers as is Europe ( particularly in France). It's slowing building again in Oz but with no governing body and no domestic pro tour ( rumours of potential new one happening this year) it's been left to local board riders clubs to work to attract groms into the sport. The area's I mentioned before all have strong clubs and their members deserve a ton of praise for working at the grassroots level with basically no funding or support from Surfing NSW / Qld or Surfing Oz.

The Shark Island challenge is also ( fingers crossed) making a comeback this year as an elite level contest in Australia, so lots of positives.

dazzler's picture
dazzler's picture
dazzler Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 1:15pm

15 years ago there were plenty around.. maybe Surf Groms programs & the proliferation of surf schools meant kids were bypassing & going straight to stand-up.

Groms these days (including mine) seem to go straight to foamies which have improved significantly.

Never get tired watching footage of Mike Stewart.

ashsam's picture
ashsam's picture
ashsam Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 1:27pm

Plenty in Coffs and Port.

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 6:36pm

I was a bodyboarder, then a surfer, then both, then exclusive surfer again, then SUP, then surfer, now predominantly booger. I feel like a grommet again. It's so much fun and I can surf in the flags with old ladies in daggy swimming costumes.

RockyIsland's picture
RockyIsland's picture
RockyIsland Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 7:42pm

Ironic
Boogs killed Kneelos

TooSweetToCheat's picture
TooSweetToCheat's picture
TooSweetToCheat Tuesday, 6 Feb 2024 at 1:26pm

Were kneelos ever a thing? I would put kneelos slightly lower than drop-knee bodyboarding. There are simply too many compromises with those styles being not as practical or stylish as riding prone on a bodyboard or riding standup on a surfboard. FYI I've been riding bodyboards since the late 80s and standup surfing for the last 5 years.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 6 Feb 2024 at 1:47pm

"Were kneelos ever a thing?"

Greenough?
Crawford?
Lis?

RockyIsland's picture
RockyIsland's picture
RockyIsland Tuesday, 6 Feb 2024 at 3:37pm

This was an add on Teley around 76
PC Kneeboarding for Pub Soda Squash

RockyIsland's picture
RockyIsland's picture
RockyIsland Tuesday, 6 Feb 2024 at 3:31pm

Back in the 70s and mid 80s Kneelos were a thing.
I was one and still are occasionally.
Every crew had at least one kneelo in their midst in those days.
PC was my hero.
Plenty of Kneeboard shapers and locally sponsored surfers in Vicco and the other energy spots along the coast in those days.
If you want to improve your rail game, surf a kneeboard as a training tool as your rail is engaged from your knee to your rear foot letting you feel what a rail is.
No flick flick on a kneeboard.

suchas's picture
suchas's picture
suchas Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 1:06pm
simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 1:27pm

they make the woz look good ....for now

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 9:00pm

BS & beaurocrazy

So, the 'organiser' gets a 3rd world Govt handout of $61,000 & pay the elite surfers, winners $0...
who took the money, bandidos ?

Then they shoot the star before he performs....at an epic surf spot... sham, shame, lame.
The boogs need their mentor, great PR & reliable sponsors or sing....


P.S. Its always overhead, when your lying down

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 2:37pm

Great article Dan. Like surfing, it kinda died when the top Aussies moved on. Also like surfing, you see a spattering of groms, hardly any teens and lots of old carnts around here. Bodyboarding still seems huge in Portugal and South America though. It's mostly the same competition trajectory as surfing, bodyboarding just started with less and finished with less.

Still love watching the Fronton comp, one of the best regardless of craft, mental wave. And thanks suchas the for SIC link, that will be SIck!

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 2:50pm

Cheers for the read,
I always try to watch the comps when they're on....normally in a good timeslot for here.
The El Fronton comp is always a must watch if the swells up.
They have a great commentary team too, good blend of Portugese(?) and English.

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 2:56pm

I honestly thought boogers were just for little kids who only went to the beach once or twice a year. Like dummies i knew some babies sucked on them longer than other but grown adults ? Really ?

dandob's picture
dandob's picture
dandob Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 3:03pm

Your using old and long smelly bait there Lost.....

lost's picture
lost's picture
lost Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 3:45pm

Ha ha too true. Might get a few bites all the same.

Rip the pit's picture
Rip the pit's picture
Rip the pit Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 8:14am

Get lost

Mickieyoyo's picture
Mickieyoyo's picture
Mickieyoyo Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 4:05pm

Bodyboarding is still going strong in Newcastle.
A lot of the older crew are still at it and really building the local bodyboarding club.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 6:50pm

So has anybody kind of eclipsed Mike Stewart in bodyboarding In what he has achieved and legend etc?

I always think of the below people as like god fathers/legends that might never be possible to eclipsed in what they achieved not only competitively but just how they changed and lifted the level of their sports.

It's like no matter how good a new guy is there can never be someone that can come along and make as big mark/impact as the development of each sport is not just smaller jumps as limited by just whats possible physically.

Mike Stewart (body boarding) Tony Hawk (ramp) Rodney Mullen (Freestyle/street) Kelly Slater (surfing)

adam12's picture
adam12's picture
adam12 Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 7:08pm

That's a bummer dandob. Mike Stewart a bit like Kelly in the WSL, legit legend of the sport still doing it at the top level, and he's 10 years older. Couldn't imagine the WSL ever treating Kelly like that, more the opposite. Mike should get a walk thru on any shitty little rules like the one he got sanctioned for, which to my reading he didn't breach anyway because his reason was legit. and he told them prior, and had someone proxy him. They should feel honoured he wanted to compete at all. I smell a bit of politics there.
And that Arica stuff sounds like amatuer hour. Cash should be in the bank and ready to go before the competitors even get on a plane if they were professional IMO. Chile is dodgy AF anyway, seem to remember reading about Rip Curl having similar problems and local gangster standover issues when they did a comp. there that AI won once. Those boys that got stiffed should go speak to the lawyers I reckon, bit of deceptive conduct at the least going on there. Might be relatively small sums involved they are owed, but might be more to it than that, travel costs and other damages too maybe, and teach the cowboys not to do it again.
Agree a bit with Steve I don't see the boog guys out in the line up as much as I used to, probably surfing different waves to me because I know they are still out there. Used to surf and body bash a local slabby barrel and they are definitely still there and ruling, and usually great guys to share a line up with. Like a lot of kneeboarders they don't GAF or get involved with the bullshit seems to me, just want to get barrelled and go fast, and while they get viewed as fringe by many, that's about as core as it gets to me. And they were the guys that opened up many of the slabs for the slab riders. Watched a few at Lunas one day and those guys were hard core as it gets. Not for me that's for sure, I'd drown first wave, or become shark food with the burley trail I'd be leaving just sitting on the shoulder watching. Don't watch many boog vids but see plenty of low rider action on all the Pipe vids I watch and the % of deep makes those guys get is higher than the worlds best Pipe surfers generally.
Anyway great little informative piece about where that tour is at. Sadly not where it should be at.
As for the acronyms, reckon that IBC needs to FRO and start again. also reckon it should get comps, recognition and champs under the WSL banner. Surfing Australia do it (I think) It isn't the World Stand Up League, or shouldn't be, surfing is surfing. Paipos were back there there with Olos, Tom Morey as legit as Tom Blake, Simmons, etc and Simon as far as those guys go to my mind.
But they have got their own problems I guess. Might help the women get equality under the WSL policy too.

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 7:14pm

Lewy Finnegan and Shane Ackerman are two from the current crop of Aussies that charge as hard as any standups or boogs around the world.
There's many more underground warriors in Australia doing it for the love.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 7:25pm

If you like raw videos in clean, empty, bluebird, winter barrels, I'll often throw this one on.

wallpaper's picture
wallpaper's picture
wallpaper Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 8:48am

And the prize for insipid moronic vacuously oft-repeated americanisation of this month goes to 'bluebird'. Congratulations 'bluebird'!

wallpaper's picture
wallpaper's picture
wallpaper Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 9:53am

*americanism oops

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 7:59pm

Sick @sprout!

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 8:36pm

Love that he gets rinsed straight up then gets some sicks ones haha. Lachie Rombouts charging the bigger surfboard?

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 8:57pm

ahh thought that might have been him on the bigger board.
haha yeah got flogged on that first one!
Looks very round, thick and intense.

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 9:09pm

The slabs are still spitting tubes
Not booger season around here but we could use a few in the line-up!

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Friday, 2 Feb 2024 at 9:18pm

hehe. Biscuity eh Clam?
Almost been tempted to jump on one myself this summer for some of the novelty waves nearby....almost. Too biscuity.

shitabrick's picture
shitabrick's picture
shitabrick Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 1:44am

GOB - Grandma O'Briens Balinese psyched drugs smuggling organisation
IBA- Ihavea Busted Asshole- cant stand up but like doing roundabouties association
APB- All Points Banned- so lets go to that closeout beachie where there's no surfers club

craig scott's picture
craig scott's picture
craig scott Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 3:29pm

Shit cunt

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 5:22am

I admire the hardcore bodyboarders. First off they're generally chasing slabs and secondly they're doing something a lot of people consider to be uncool. It takes a certain amount of gumption to go against the grain like that.
That said, it doesn't float my boat. I don't like watching it. All power to them though, they're doing what they love.

basesix's picture
basesix's picture
basesix Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 8:32am

another great article @dandob, good background education, cheers!

burleigh's picture
burleigh's picture
burleigh Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 9:00am

if you're an adult booger you are a very resilient person, which is a fucking great trait.

You've grown up through all the drop-ins and all the hate.

Nothing but respect to the boogers that stuck with it through their teenage years.

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 10:22am

None nope,
Nothing to do with those things,
No hate, I was the one heckling lid riders as a teenager !
Makes riding barrells easier so I do it , simple

craig scott's picture
craig scott's picture
craig scott Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 3:35pm

Stand up and be counted.. I heard at mermaid beach the other day, on a bank by myself. Fuck right off. I respect stand up surfing but I don't respect arrogant fuckwits.

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 4:39pm

Bank by yourself is a Score!
Do you want a beer mate?

wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson's picture
wax-on-danielson Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 9:18am

It’s funny that stand ups will look down on boogs like it’s for kids. Every slab on Earth outside of Hawaii was probably honed by lids for years before a stand up grew the balls to paddle out. I do both and they are both as frivolous and immature as each other if you think about it.

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 10:17am

Haha bloody lid riders !

craig scott's picture
craig scott's picture
craig scott Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 3:36pm

Bloody shit cunt

blow-in-9999's picture
blow-in-9999's picture
blow-in-9999 Saturday, 3 Feb 2024 at 7:22pm

On the comp side. Its been years since I've surfed a beachie. I'll surf a sand bottomed point or breakwall maybe once every 2 years or so.

The vast majority of comps are on beachies due to insurance reasons.

On local free surfing its still lots of old* guys who come out of the woodwork when its good with all the rent a crowd. Makes the local waves either near empty or super crowded.

*Over say 30ish.

Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68 Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 1:56pm

Thanks for that update and overview Dan.
Shame about the current state of affairs but probably not that surprising given the way of the world in general.
Long live The Godfather!

"if you're an adult booger you are a very resilient person, which is a fucking great trait.
You've grown up through all the drop-ins and all the hate.
Nothing but respect to the boogers that stuck with it through their teenage years. "

Well said burls. I grew up surfing/bodyboarding from the late 70's onwards. Mainly bodyboarded when it was big and closing out or over very shallow reef set ups. Never did master the critical late drop on my standup unfortunately but still love doing both when conditions suit. I used to relish the confrontations with stand-up surfers (when bodyboarding) back in those early days, when lids were just considered literal speed bumps. Most bodyboarders at the time just copped what was consistently dished out (constant blatant drop ins) but I was a pretty competitive beast and loved giving it directly back to any offenders. A post drop-in bee-line paddle up into your face with a "friendly" warning clearly explaining that I will indeed be retuning the favour and its probably best you don't fucking complain about it when it happens. Worked a treat even though it was mainly a bluff. Luckily for me I never got into any serious physical altercations. I would've just bolted anyway haha! My mother always taught to me run rather than fight "particularly if you want to keep your front teeth" she would say to my brother & I. Probably because we couldn't afford the dentist :-)

mattlock's picture
mattlock's picture
mattlock Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 2:26pm

I won my last fight by 100 metres.

Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68 Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 2:48pm

Haha! Brilliant….

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 5:47pm

There's a solid tight knit local crew of about a dozen guys in my neck of the woods. They come out of the woodwork when certain spots are breaking, namely the dodgy reefs and a few of the punchy beachie shorey type set ups. .
Other than that, I don't see them on the point breaks or other main breaks much.
They seem to stick to themselves as much as they can.

No love lost at Dbah.

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Sunday, 4 Feb 2024 at 5:49pm

I dunno, but what i do know, is the only guys i've ever seen attempting to paddle into the heaviest wave on the planet, with my own eyes...have all been boogs. Mentioned a couple above.
Quite spectacular watching them freefall, completely out of the water on a 15foot wave, legs high above their heads as the whole southern ocean unloads above and around them. Let alone the fact they're bobbing around in wild ocean a long way from shore. Respect.

Hombomb's picture
Hombomb's picture
Hombomb Monday, 5 Feb 2024 at 7:58pm

international drop roll corporation

westcoastcorg's picture
westcoastcorg's picture
westcoastcorg Monday, 5 Feb 2024 at 11:33pm

Good read Dan. I guess the writing has been on the wall for a while, hopefully they have a refresh and make things happen.. again. Speaking of, a refresh might be a good thing for the sport in general to be honest, there's still good boogin going down and be great to see the major brands and investing a little more back into the groms. Ya never know spread the water around a bit maybe the garden will grow.

ouboet's picture
ouboet's picture
ouboet Friday, 9 Feb 2024 at 9:11am

Johnny-boy Gomes's comment on Stewart's post is so similar to the one he made 2 days ago about the WSL, when I first saw it I thought it was a mistake.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Wednesday, 16 Oct 2024 at 8:46pm

Fronton Live. Far from it's heaviest best, but some clean ramps and barrels.
https://www.youtube.com/live/1s9i84GSJ_U?feature=shared