• Sports -> Water and Adventure Sports

• 0 Comment

What is the history of bodyboarding and how has it evolved over time?

Selmer Limer

Alright, so I don't know if I'm the best person to talk about this, but here goes nothing. From what I've gathered, bodyboarding has been around since the ancient Hawaiians used to ride waves on wooden "paipo" boards. But it wasn't until the 1970s that bodyboarding as we know it today really took off. This was thanks to Tom Morey, a surfer who came up with the idea of making a lightweight, foam board that you could lie on and ride waves with.

At first, people called it a "boogie board," which I guess is a little bit disrespectful? But eventually, bodyboard became the preferred term. And the sport just kept growing and evolving from there. So many amazing riders have gotten into bodyboarding over the years, and they've pushed the limits of what's possible on these boards.

One of the coolest things about bodyboarding is that it's accessible to pretty much anyone. You don't need to be a great surfer to pick up a foamie and start catching waves. And because of that, there's a really strong community around the sport. I've met so many awesome people through bodyboarding, and I can't imagine my life without it now.

As far as the evolution of bodyboarding goes, I think it's safe to say that the boards themselves have come a long way. The early Morey boogie boards were pretty basic, but nowadays, you can get boards with all kinds of different materials and shapes, depending on what kind of waves you're looking to ride. And the tricks that riders are doing on these boards just keep getting more and more insane. Some people can do flips and spins and all kinds of crazy maneuvers that I can barely even comprehend.

I guess the one downside to the sport is that it still doesn't get quite as much recognition as traditional surfing. But honestly, I kind of like that it's still a bit of an underdog. It makes the community feel more tight-knit, and it also means that you can still find amazing waves without having to fight for them. So yeah, that's my take on the history and evolution of bodyboarding. If anyone else has any insights or corrections, feel free to chime in!