How to paddle for a wave in bodyboarding

 

Unlike surfers, bodyboarders are able to combine the power of arms, legs and feet to paddle in salted water. But you have to do it rhythmically and in cooperative mode.

"When you're paddling through flat water, use your arms; when you're paddling through turbulent water use your legs, and when you need to get somewhere quickly, use both your arms and legs," explains Rob Barber, author of "The Bodyboard Manual."

If you're simply arm paddling, move your body forward and keep your legs straight and together behind you. You face should almost be in line with the nose of your board.

Arch your back and keep your head up, watching where you're going. Use the front crawl style stroke - alternate arms - reaching as far forward as you can and diving your arm as ...more

$4 million whitewater playboating park below Holtwood Dam tested, about to open to public

 

By remote control, a metal gate opens on the York County side of the Holtwood Dam and impounded Susquehanna river water gushes down a 100-year-old stone fish ladder at 755 cubic feet per second.
Soon, a newly constructed channel is transformed into churning, splashing whitewater reminiscent of a Western river.

The scene last Wednesday morning is just what Matt Samms, a 40-year-old kayaker from Safe Harbor, had been dreaming about for eight years now.

Samms, in a wetsuit, protective helmet  and ear plugs, eases himself into a short, snub-nosed Pyranha kayak that weighs a mere 45 pounds.

Over the next several hours, he and eight other devotees of the whitewater freestyle kayaking sport of playboating spin, surf — even ...more

60/40 versus 50/50: the bodyboard rail equation

 

Rails are one of the most important features in a bodyboard.

 Bodyboard shapers know how rails can make the difference in a bodyboard. Basically, there are two different types of rails: the 60/40 and the 50/50.

The numbers represent a rail/chine ratio. The 60/40 means that 40% is chine - the top part around the deck - and 60% is the lower proportion in direct contact with the wave.

The 60/40 ratio is the most popular bodyboard rail format in the industry. If you're riding bigger waves, with steep faces, you'll be needing more control from your board. That is exactly what the 60/40 set offers.

The 50/50 rails - equally divided on the upper and lower parts of ...more

The Glossary of Bodyboarding Terms

 

The sport of bodyboarding has its own lingo. 

The invention of the bodyboard by Tom Morey brought new terms, words, 

expressions and tricks to the world of wave sports.

The bodyboarding glossary of terms used in the waves is useful to all levels of bodyboarders. 

Discover the vocabulary of bodyboarding and learn new words:

Air Forward 360 - a trick in which the bodyboarder launches into the air off the top of a wave and completes a 360-degree spin out of the water.

Air Reverse 360 - a trick in which the bodyboarder launches into the air off the top of a wave and completes a 360-degree spin out of the water, in reverse mode.

Air Reverse 720 - a trick in which the bodyboarder launches into the air off the top of a wave and completes a 720-degree spin out of the water.

Air Roll Spinner (ARS) - a trick that combines the El Rollo with a 360-degree spin.

Backflip - an acrobatic aerial maneuver, in which the bodyboarder hits the lip of a wave and rotates his body backwards up in the air.

Bat Tail - a style of bodyboard tail that combines the clipped crescent tail and the square tail.
Booger - slang for bodyboarder.

Boogie Board - alternative name for a bodyboard.

Bumpers - nose and tail bumpers are applied to the core of the board to help protect delicate areas, repel water and maximize seam strength.

Channels - the contour of the bottom side of ...more

Martin ready to take on the best in the world at Sintra Portugal Pro

 

2014 Irish National Bodyboarding champion, Martin ‘TK’ Kelly will travel to Portugal this week to compete in the World Professional BodyboardTour.

Martin flew out at the weekend to represent the north coast surfing fraternityin the eighth stop of the world tour.

The Sintra Portugal Pro will see 140 of the world’s top pro bodyboarders converge on the coast of Praia Grande, just north of Lisbon.

The contest will almost certainly decide the world champion, which is between three riders, one French, one Brazillian and one Australian.

TK will be travelling with his good friend and Irish number two Shane Meehan from Sligo.

“I could not have made this competition if it wasn’t for the continued excellent help from all my sponsors,” he told Times Sport.

“Portrush Yacht Club in particular have once again been fantastic.

“As always sponsorship in Northern Ireland surfing is difficult so I feel it is important to make the effort to represent us independently to ...more

If you have 10 hours of your time and you want you can watch the
3rd day of the Sintra Pro 2014 at Praia Grande, Sintra, Portugal.

 

National Bodyboarding Champion Martin 'TK' Kelly is representing Ireland this week at the Portuguese stop on the APB World Tour for bodyboarding, as the Coleraine Times reports.

Regarded as the most decorated Irish surfer of all time, Kelly is flying the flag for the North Coast's dedicated surfing community among 140 of the world's best at Praia Grande.

And he's joined at the Sintra Pro by ...more

Girls hit the waves of the 2014 Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival

 

The 2014 Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival is in the water, in Chile.

The Women's division is up and running. In Round 2, and despite the small wave conditions, 14-year-old Anais Velis and Giselle Caselli started the day by defeating seeded riders Juliana Freitas and Valentina Diaz.

Two-time world champion Soraia Rocha pulled a roll-to-spin-to-roll combination to win her heat, and score the highest two-wave total of the day. Ayaka Suzuki, from Japan, advanced as well. Lumar Guittard, Paloma Freyggang, Joselane Amorim and Andrea Carvalho also ...more

Cameron's still riding out the crisis

 

David Cameron faced a barrage of criticism last week after going ahead with a surfing holiday as Iraq descended into turmoil.

But it seems the Islamic State's murderous rampage across the Middle East is still not enough to tempt him back to Number 10. 

For just four days later, he's back on the board despite MPs' calls for an emergency recall as the news is dominated by fears of radicalised Britons. 

It comes as task forces across the world race to track down the brutal murderers that assassinated US photojournalist James Foley and posted footage of the killing online. 

United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay today called on the international community to treat as a priority the 'appalling, widespread' crimes being ...more