Welcome to the first edition of The Bodyboard Report! 🤙

This week we’ll explore the heart and soul of the sport, all the way from a Chilean boogie party to old school Pipeline power and winged words from the GOAT.

Plus, we take a look at a rare Morey collaboration that taps straight into bodyboarding history.

Whether you like it floppy or proper stiff…

Grab hold of your favorite board and let’s dive right in! 😎

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Antofagasta is back on the map and it’s coming in hot!

29 April - 10 May 2026 | Men Prime Series | $35 000

The 2026 Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival returns for its 14th edition, and this one looks like a proper game changer.

The big move this year is shifting the contest to La Nilda // Nilda Point, a heavy volcanic reef that throws out deep barrels and clean ramps for big airs.

In other words, exactly what we want to see.

This is not just another stop on tour either. There are serious points and prize money on the line, making it a key battleground for the world title race.

And for the dropknee crew, this is the one!

Antofagasta is the only stop for this division in 2026, which means the Dropknee World Champion will be crowned right there in Chilean waters, with a $10,000 USD prize pool on the line.

What makes Antofagasta special is that it goes beyond competition. This festival has become a full cultural event, pulling in riders from all over the world and putting the city’s coastline, waves, and community on display.

It is bodyboarding as a movement, not just a contest.

Heavy waves, big moments, and a DK world title on the line.

Shout out to the IBC for the appetizing trailer! 🤙

This week Manny Vargas dropped an edit of the awesome 2011 IBA Pipeline Pro.

If you haven’t seen this legendary event, make sure to catch it on your next coffee break.

Aside from the thrilling contest antics, what resonates with me is the opening question:

For someone who has never seen the ocean, how do you even begin to explain bodyboarding?

Mike Stewart put it best.

“It’s like having a key. A doorway into a kinetic world of beauty.

Imagine this.

You’re hiking through mountains. Moving through valleys, caves, ridges. Now make all of it alive. Moving. Breathing. Shifting every second.

Then make it translucent.

And instead of walking on it… you’re inside it.

That’s the ocean.

And bodyboarding is what gives you access.

It’s not just riding waves. It’s entering a space where everything is in motion and you’re part of that motion.

You feel the speed, the power, the flow. You’re not watching nature anymore… you’re moving with it.

That’s why it hooks people.

Because once you’ve felt that, even for a second, nothing else really compares.”

The style master Josh Garner dropped a bomb about 2 weeks ago at The Right!

This is one of the most amazing and critical lip spin’s I’ve seen in a while and it definately deserves a shout out from The Bodyboard Report. 💪😎

Perhaps we should come up with some kind of “Play of the week” section?

Spin it like you wanna win it…

Hit reply and send me your hidden gems caught on camera, as well as links and stories you think we should know about.

Josh is also a solid musician and that’s his music in the video.

Go on and give Josh a like and follow.

This is one of the ways we can support each other as a global tribe.

OGM Bodyboard Shop has become the first shop to officially collaborate with Morey Bodyboards, the brand that started it all.

They have released a limited edition Mach 7X, not built for hype but out of respect for the sport.

The shape is tighter with a lower wide point, making it versatile across conditions.

It uses a Crosslink deck for comfort and full waterproofing, however the core is only a 1.2 PP tuned for European temperatures with solid flex, speed, and control.

A quad concave will ad grip when it counts.

Simple truth: This is more than a board. It is a piece of history.

It might be too floppy for most, so if it’s something stiffer you’re after, I’ve got just the thing…

Out of Durban, SA comes a young shaper named Mika Justino who makes a board called the MStar OTS Pro Model Stockie with a 2.1 PCF beaded PP core and all the usual top shelve trimmings.

Until recently I was not aware that such a material existed.

Did you know?

As a heavier rider who exerts a lot of pressure on the bodyboard, I often end up with a negative pull. Thus, my current custom board is 60 mm thick with 3 x stringers.

I makes me wonder what possiblities the 2.1 PP core and the future holds…

Mika’s company MStar Distribution created a unique arsenal of specialist bodyboarding gear, including premium fins and leashes. 😎

The Bodyboard Report will catch up with Mika in a future issue to dig deep inside the board…. with a diamond cutter, if the core is 2.1…

Mental toughness in bodyboarding is simple. 💪

You get worked, held down, and tested, and you still paddle back out.

It is the same in life. Pressure, setbacks, and uncertainty are part of the game, and how you respond is what counts.

This week’s free ebook gives you practical ways to stay focused, manage stress, and build real resilience when things get heavy.

Because whether it is in the water or in business, the ones who stay calm and keep going are the ones who win.

Bodyboarding has always been built on core energy, tight crews, and a shared love for the ocean.

The Bodyboard Report is here to keep that alive and growing.

If this hit home, pass it on.

Share the link to bring your crew in, and help grow something that actually matters.

Every new subscriber adds to the momentum.

And momentum is what moves everything forward.

See you in the next one. 🌊🤙