The top riders who have changed the face of bodyboarding

5. Ben Player

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rider who has polarized me as much as Ben. Originally, I didn’t like his style in the first videos I saw with him and Toby… then he goes to Hawaii, then he starts boosting, then he starts charging, then he starts pulling off moves perfectly, then he starts putting his style on his moves, then he starts putting his style on everything he does, then he becomes the ideal. Ben is the evolution of style embodied by a rider and now I need to see every segment he’s in even if he’s just doing a duckdive.

4. Eppo

A long descendant of Daedalus, Eppo was the air man of air men. He made people want to commit to the air more than anyone. He pushed the sport with the ARS, the backflip, the double roll and airs higher over the lip than waves I’ve ridden. While some people push deeper into the barrel and others push harder into their moves, Eppo took to the sky and the sport has never been the same since.

3. Jeff Hubbard

Freak… that’s how you define Hubb, launching higher than physically and psychologically healthy, Hubb’s segments look like they come out of a damn videogame. Abnormally flexible and with the most complete skills of any rider to ever ride on a board, Hubb is who everyone wants to be. He can win with the deepest barrel. He can win with the highest air. He can win with the most fluid combinations of moves. Simply put, if anyone can win, it’s Jeff... Lucky for all of us, anyone watching a heat he’s in or a segment he’s riding on also wins.

2. Guilherme Tamega

A lot of people say they’re willing to do whatever it takes to win. Each of those people is quoting Tamega… there’s saying you’re willing to die to win, and then there’s making everyone fear for your life to prove that you’re not talking bullshit. It’s 1994, Tamega launches what becomes known as the Death Roll on a closeout at Pipe and takes off on one of the best 10 point rides in history to claim a win… Fast forward 17 years to Chile and he launches what is called a Death Roll over dry reef at Arica to win. With time some people change… but the heroes in our lives, they always stay true to who they are. Tamega is the real deal and during his reign of terror, no one came close to taking him down. When it comes to crazy rolls, crazy air forwards and fierce competitive drive, Tamega is King.

1. Mike Stewart

Having the respect of your peers is one thing, commanding respect from everyone who’s ever done a water sport is another. You see, getting the wave of your life at Pipe has to do with luck as much as skill… bodysurfing Pipe and attempting to do it from Second Reef… that’s beyond comprehension. Nine Time bodyboarding Champion, Eleven times bodysurfing champion, Mike proves that knowledge truly is power. Style, grace, power, and above all else skill… few people are as technical as Mike and no other rider in existence has been studied as in depth as Mike. Let’s face it, if the conditions are big and it’s a barrel fest… Mike will be in the final. Last year I met Mike for the first time in my life and it’s a milestone for way too many reasons to list but one of the top would be that even as revered as he is, I’ve met few people in life who live with as much stoke as Mike and it just goes to show… the secret to happiness isn’t status, it’s to approach everything in life like a pumped up grommet going for a session.

Top ten riders who have changed the face of bodyboarding - 6-10

10. Kainoa McGee

Hawaiian to the core. Kainoa buckled boards with pure power and takes off on the biggest Pipe waves to dare unload on the famed reef. It’s a shame he never won a Pipe comp but riding 15 ft. second reef bombs on dropknee and dropping in on unmakeable waves only to come out of the barrel with a claim… well that’s Kainoa. He’s in his element in the barrel and he’s a complete water man, manhandling huge barrels on his belly, on his knee, standing up or with a paddle. I met Kainoa once and I remember three things super clear: 1.) he looks like someone you’d NEVER want to mess with, 2.) he’s a super cool and nice guy and 3.) I reminded him physically of Alex Kinimaka. Not too bad a day for a stoked grom if I do say so myself.

9. Neymara Carvalho

While many women are super worthy of admiration for their skills, courage and power, Neymara was the first female bodyboarder I can remember of that busted more hardcore than guys. Her airs at Backdoor commanded the respect of all the people and she’s a hell woman if I’ve ever seen one. The funny thing is that if she were any more bubbly she’d be a friggin champagne. Seeing her go from land to water was like watching a hello kitty doll transform into the Tasmanian Devil and to me, she’s always been a super standout on any wave where you can boost being one of my favorite riders to watch… without gender distinction.

8. Andre Botha

At 17 I was finishing high school, at 18 I was starting college… At those same ages, Andre Botha was winning back-to-back world titles. Like other Zaffas, Andre has a tendency to take off on bigger waves than you’d want to even try to imagine yourself on. To make matters more intense, his style was classic Zaffa… smooth, powerful and pretty much damn perfect. Any young grom looking to make a mark has his benchmark to strive for…

7. Ben Severson

Mike’s nemesis in the 80’s, he was the first guy to establish a rivalry in the sport. Super quick, great spinners, deep tubes, and the most vocal advocate for hitting a roll as you came out of a barrel, Ben was a guy who excelled at fast waves. His BZ models were some of my first, with the classic T-10 Channel being one of my favorite boards in my life and he got so good shaping, he decided to make his own company. Think about it, channels, transition rails, wide points… these things we casually analyze nowadays were probably brought to the light thanks to Ben. Now say thank you.

6. Ryan Hardy

Hardballs… Want one wave to express how good Ryan is? Look for his spinner in the barrel at Teahupoo in the Tahiti Skins Competition. Want one session to express how good he can be in one session, look at him at the Box. Hardy charges and he’s one of the most emotional guys you’ll ever meet when it comes to competition making me suspect that he’s at least 1/8 Brazilian. When you think Ryan, you think precision and power. Where’s the best place to hit the lip? He’s there. What’s the most critical part of the wave to pull a move? He’s there. Like Mitch Rawlins, Ryan has a tendency to execute moves so perfect you wonder how the hell they do it. That’s because they have vision. While people focus on just hitting the lip and boosting, Ryan and Mitch both share that innate super power to already think about how they’re going to cross their legs while they’re boosting five feet above the lip.