Archive for Industry

Where we’re at

March 2022 – For many many years we have covered the international Bodyboarding scene (as an independent online media) for free, with no ressource but our own and just a little bit of money from the few brands and shops advertising on the website (thanks to all that participated!). We updated the website on a daily basis with daily news posts, reviews, tests, interviews, exclusive content and more for 15+ years, supporting the boogie industry, its brands and riders since the early 2000’s, trying to bring you the best of what we could provide and do for the sport. We loved it and met hundreds of riders and friends along the way, all around the globe.

However, these days social media platforms have taken a huge part of people’s online habits and most news, videos and interviews all happen on these different social platforms. We do not condemn this but this has sort of slowed down our Spongercity.com news feed because everything is instantly available online for the people to read and watch out there on social media, therefore reducing the interest of the boogieboarders for online websites like Spongercity.com. This marks a turn in people’s online habits: the way they consume, enjoy, get entertained and gather the information they are looking for – they go straight to social media and have neglected independent websites, online magazines and even paper magazines.

By lack of time mainly and also because there is definitely less stuff to cover and talk about (less contests, less industry news, less pro riders, less money in the sport, less things happening…) we decided to only feed news and stories on our Facebook page for the moment, leaving the Spongercity.com Media on “stand-by” while waiting to see what’s up. We dont stop it or neglect it, we are still around, we still care, we are still available to reach via email and stuff, but we just wanted to let you know that we are currently not adding news posts and interviews or reviews on Spongercity.com because we feel like it’s all already out there on social media – Maybe one day when people are fed up with these platforms they will get back to independent media websites and news feeds, which we think were providing better quality, better visual design and good content for free, with extra flare and love for the sport. We’ll see how it goes and we’ll see ya in the water anyways! Yewwww

Celebrating 50 years of Boogieboarding!

From July 1971 to July 2021… We’re celebrating 50 years of Boogieboarding this month! Thanks Tom Morey for inventing the boogieboard back in July 1971! Happy Birthday boogieboarding! Yewwww

Who makes your board? Where is it coming from?

Every once in a while we update our “Short List” of the most well-known board makers / board brands and have them listed here: The Short List (2018 Update)

If you’re a board maker and wanna make a change let us know, email us on the contact page or check us out on Facebook.

Drag Board Co

Bodyboarding just got cool again maybe. From what we’ve figured out what used to be LeBoogie Magazine has now evolved into a new business which looks and sounds pretty cool to us, it’s called Drag Board Co and it consists of 3 riders already: Sam Bennett, Tom Rigby and Jordan Putland. Impressive team and refreshing designs + a relaxed approach to the business sounds pretty good to us in an era where bodyboarding business and marketing seems to have seriously reached a dead-end. Check the boards out here: www.dragshredsleds.com. Let’s hope this brings some fresh air to our sport.

Bodyboarder(s) of the Year

Riptide Magazine celebrated 2014’s Awards last week and although we did cover this great night on our FB page it’s a shame we didnt mention it here, so here you go! Basically Ben Player is a legend… and because he is he won the Bodyboarder of the year award. On the womens’ side it’s Isabela Sousa who got the award and is also a legend. On the knee it’s another legend who won the award: David “Dub” Hubbard. For the videos it’s Katesy & LeBoogie who won the award with Passing Through. Couldnt agree more. Congrats to you guys! Below are all the other awards and winners listed. For more info check the Riptide site.

Bodyboarder of the Year – Ben Player (Australia)

Women’s Bodyboarder of the Year – Isabela Sousa (Brazil)

Dropkneer of the Year – Dave Hubbard (Hawaii)

Grom of the Year – Tanner McDaniel (Hawaii)

Heaviest Wave of the Year – Lewy Finnegan (Australia, at The Right, WA – from Riptide issue 197)

Biggest Move of the Year – Jeff Hubbard (Hawaii, at Honolua Bay, Maui – from Hubboards – The Movie)

Best Feature Film of the Year – Passing Through (James Kates/Le Boogie)

Best Short Film of the Year – The Mexican Mirage (Miller Best/Pride Bodyboards)

Photographer of the Year – Sacha Specker (South Africa)

Men’s Bodyboarder of the Year Top 10

1. Ben Player
2. Jared Houston
3. Pierre Louis Costes
4. Dave Winchester
5. Amaury Lavernhe
6. Mitch Rawlins
    Nick Gornall
8. Jake Stone
9. Jeff Hubbard
10. Jase Finlay

Women’s Bodyboarder of the Year Top 5

1. Isabela Sousa
2. Lilly Pollard
3. Alexandra Rinder
4. Jessica Becker
5. Emma Cobb

Dropkneer of the Year Top 5

1. Dave Hubbard
2. Matt Lackey
3. Bud Miyamoto
4. Sacha Specker
5. Cesar Bauer

Spencer Skipper and Aka Lyman opening a shop in Hawaii

Bodyboarding legends Spencer Skipper and Aka Lyman opened a shop in Hawaii, 501 Kealahou Street, Suite A23, Honolulu, Hawaii – go check it out if you’re in Hawaii or travelling over there. Sick!

Hidentity

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hidentity-Shop/785623458126324

Dave Winchester rides for VS Boards

It’s now official, Dave ‘Winny’ Winchester now rides for VS. Dave jumped from the NMD team to the VS team. Both brands originated from shaper Nick ‘Mez’ Mesritz. With Ryan Hardy leaving VS recently there was probably a spot to fill on the VS team and it was a good opportunity for Dave to jump from one brand to another. Shaper Dan Sivess is managing VS and we’re sure the brand and shapes for Winnys models will be niiice.

Ryan Hardy has new flippers

It comes at no surprise after the signing with Funkshen Boards, Ryan Hardy will now be sporting Limited Edition fins (same group as Nomad / Funkshen / Attica). Will the next move be a signing with Attica suits? Maybe… (would make sense for the Nomad / Funkshen / Attica / Limited Edition group anyways).

Ryan Hardy rides for Funkshen Bodyboards

We didn’t see this one coming. Ryan Hardy rides for Funkshen Bodyboard now and leaves VS Boards.

ryan-hardy-funkshen-2014

QCD Boards – Skintec Ltd. skin technology

We’re always happy when some new innovative technologies and materials hit the market as it’s making our hardware and sport progress and improve our experience in the water somehow. QCD has some new technology available, called Skintec™, it’s an additional layer thermo sealed to the core of the board that helps with flex property on the whole core and entire surface of the board. The Skintec™ can be used with or without stringer(s) as Todd Quigley told us. Read more below in the press release from QCD.

Press release:
The QCD SKINTEC Ltd features a new skin technology developed for high performance riding through pressure absorption and energy dispersion. Skintec™ is the most advanced energy transfer layer ever produced, designed to reduce impact compression by providing protection to the cores cell structure and integrity.

QCD owner and head shaper, Todd Quiqley said of his newly designed SKINTEC LTD model, “The Skintec™ layer is thermo-fused to the core, creating increased strength, drive, and recoil over the boards entire surface area while allowing the board to flex more evenly from nose to tail and rail to rail. The increased strength has also allowed me to design this model thinner than my standard stock line which provides edge control and off the bottom speed without losing stiffness and inner core balance”.

The SKINTEC Ltd has been produced in both PP and EFC Red cores. Only 60 boards have been manufactured in total, with each board being individually numbered on a sticker on the front of the board.

CrossSection

Find a QCD Skintec Limited at these locations while they last:

Bodyboard King – Brookvale, NSW – www.bodyboardking.com – Phone: (02) 8068 4545
Bodyboard Factory – Burleigh Heads, QLD – www.bodyboardfactory.com – Phone: (07) 5568 0767
Bodyboarders Surf Co. – Narrabeen, NSW – www.bodyboarders.com.au – Phone: (02) 9913 3847
Bodyboarders Surf Co. – Coolangatta, NSW – www.bodyboarders.com.au – Phone: (07) 5536 5531
District 5 – Warners Bay, NSW – www.d5bodyboardshop.com.au – Phone: (02) 4023 5435
Emerald Surf – Cronulla, NSW – www.emeraldsurfcity.com – Phone: (02) 9527 4149
Flux – Byron Bay, NSW – fluxbodyboarding.com.au – Phone: (02) 6680 7100
Good Earth – Bunbury, WA – www.goodearthsurf.com.au – Phone: (08) 9721 5545
Inverted – Mooloolaba, NSW – www.bodyboardshop.com – Phone: (07) 5477 7899
Steve’s Place – Robe, SA – Phone: (08) 8768 2094
Slimes – Erina, NSW – www.slimes.com.au – Phone: (02) 4365 5511
Solid Bodyboard Shop – Charlestown, NSW – www.facebook.com/SolidBodyboardShop
- Phone: (07) 5568 0767
Vortex Surf, Wonthaggi, Vic – www.vortexsurfskatesnow.com.au – Phone: (03) 5672 4112

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