Rei morto

Há bodyboarders que não páram de surpreender. Seja por que sacam backflips em ondas gigantes, como o PLC, seja porque dropam ondas que não deviam, como o Hardy, seja porque apresentam filmes pavorosos, como o Mike, ou porque não páram de arranjar problemas, birras, queixas ou teorias da conspiração.

O regresso de Damian King à competição não está a correr como planeado. No ano passado, a desculpa foi a falta de ritmo e as pranchas. Este ano, tratou do problema das pranchas e ... nada. Os resultados continuam sem aparecer.

Agora, o Bodyboarder que já foi Rei, brilhou ao mais alto nível. Abandonou uma competição por não concordar com a escolha do local para a competição? The Joker, deve ser das alcunhas mais bem escolhidas do desporto Mundial ...


Aqui fica a versão do próprio.

Well firstly congratulation to Chase O Leary who took out the Port Pro, picksy was the top dog in town! Woof!!! I finished 5th,, getting knocked in a man on man heat with Mark Parsons in the last 20 seconds. Didn't see it coming, but that's life. I then (boastlyfully) went in the drop knee semi and got a perfect 10 and a 9.5...I was pretty stoked! HA!

The contest director (present for Bodyboarding N.S.W) moved the contest to North Wall on the second and third day of the event, this was after much convincing and persuasion from myself and other riders to move the event into good waves.

There the contest was great, a lot of big moves, great bodyboarding and everyone was stoked. The level of riding must have been the highest it's been in Australian Bodyboarding for quite some time. However this persuasion was quite an exercise and I couldn't understand why a contest director of any contest would want to have their contest in poor quality waves, if they have that option to have it in good waves. I know the major sponsors preferred to do the right thing by the riders so I couldn't understand this mentality.

A few years ago when the Australian tour was in its peak the contest organiser Tom Wilson's main priority was having events in good waves, the result from this was a huge field of riders and the birth of arguably Australia's best competitors to date. They included Ben Player, Ryan Hardy, Mitch Rawlins, Andrew lester, Dave Winchester, myself and many more.

We had the most competitive junior riders in the world without a doubt and it was a pure consequence of the quality of the Australian Tour, which was in good waves. We travelled to Yorks Peninsular in South OZ, the reefs of Margret River and Rottnest Island in West OZ, South Coast quality beach breaks and more locations in the search for good wave venues.

No-one missed an event and the competitive atmosphere was like nothing I have seen since in Australian Bodyboarding. This is why I was amazed at how much complaining and unjustified excuses I heard from the contest director of N.S.W bodyboarding because they had to catch a 10 minute ferry over to Northwall for good waves. Ridiculous!

It's just not fair on the sport and the riders if contest directors have the option to move events into better waves and they don't because it might mean stepping out of their comfort zone! Well for the final day of the Port Pro they opted to run the event in 1 foot onshore sloppy break wall, which was embarrassing compared the to 4 feet wedging North Wall on the other side of the river.

Admittedly there was a small crowd there, but what they were watching wasn't what should have been promoted. The news crew and papers did come over to Northwall to capture the event in the good waves the days previous, this media outlet reaches far more people then the small crowed on the beach and the message of our sport is more accurate to how we want to see it.

Now just for the record if the event isn't mobile and there are no waves, then you have to play with the cards your dealt and I can live with that- that's just being professional. But when you have other better options and you don't take them, that in itself is what frustrates me.

I must be honest I was pretty angry at the decision especially after explain in depth how important it is to the riders that the event should be run in good waves, as the AGM (annual general meeting) only 2 days before! It prompted me to raise the issue at the AGM after I watch the grass root competitors (13 yrs to 20 yrs old) having to put up with the 1 feet poor condition when the waves at North Wall were going off, and the contest could have run there.

Organisers don't understand the damage they do to these competitors as all were well aware of the good conditions over the river and couldn't understand why they were surfing what they were, inturn burning the grass roots. I felt the decision was based more of a comfort factor (easier) to the organizers then what the riders and major sponsors really wanted. Because of that decision and the arrogance shown to the competitors by N.S.W Bodyboarding I decided not to compete in the final for DK pro at all.

It was a stand I felt had to be taken, as I know the strong message we previously delivered to N.S.W Bodyboarding at the AGM on this matter was ignored. I know other riders including myself won't be competing in this event in the future and it's a real shame to what could have been a great event. I will also be expressing my view to the sponsors of the event and proposing alternate events that encouraging of the growth and promotion of the sport, like the annual team challenge, which has been running for over 20 years.

As usual I will come out the bad guy in this episode, as I was the only one that voiced my opinion...to the organisers anyhow?
Damian King




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