DaFin Hawaii wins Whomp Off 2018
Held last saturday at North Cronulla, Whomp Off 2018 went down in perfect spring weather.
As the date approached and the surf forecast solidified it became clear that this year's event wouldn't be remembered for the size of the waves. Instead, the organisers had to draw on their secret weapon: the communal spirit of whomp.
"It's an event founded on what bodysurfing is all about - fun," said Whomp Off organiser Rikki Gilbey. So it didn't matter that the waves were less than ideal when 120 peole were in a festive mood.
Beach scenes at Whomp Off 2018 (Dean Jezzard)
Whomp Off's team format "creates a platform for people to get together with other like-minded bodysurfers," explained Rikki. This year, bodysurfers had come from near and far - some as far as Britain and Hawaii - and by competing as teams the building blocks for community spirit were laid in place.
Each team pitched their tent in the Cronulla sand, fired up their cheer squad, and dived in head first.
There were four events: Tag Team, Tricks, Individual (where each team picked their best whomper), and the beach relay with fins on. The DaFin Hawaiian team, which included Mark Cunningham, were considered the guys to beat. They're held in high regard.
As it happens, that respect was well-placed with the team from Polynesia taking the title.
"Although the scores were tight, the DaFiN Hawaii team thoroughly deserved the win," said Rikki. "They spread their aloha spirit, and it was an incredible sight to see watch them rip in chest-high waves."
Above, DaFin Hawaii during the individual event, and below, chairing their boy up the beach (photos Dave Molloy)
In second place was the Cobras from Avalon, while the East Sydney Bodysurfers took home the third place trophy.
The DaFin team's victory leaves Rikki with some big decisions to make. You see, the tradition for Whomp Off is that the victors host the following year's event. So, is Whomp Off 2019 heading for Point Panic or Sandy Beach?
"We'll see..." says Rikki, and leaves the question hanging.
"What I do know," he concluded, "is that I'm incredibly proud to call myself a bodysurfer and be a part of this amazing community."
Final results (each club linked, click if you want to hook up)
- DaFiN Hawaii
- The Cobras
- The East Sydney Bodysurfers
- The North Kingy Kegaroos
- Cronulla Reef Kings & Central Coast Bodysurfers
- The Northern beaches Whompers
- Bate Bay Body Bashers B’s
- South Coast Body Surfers
- Bate Bay Body Bashers A’s
- Saturday Morning Body surf Club & City Beach Dugongs
- The wild Cards
- The Trojans
- The Budgy Boys
- The Goldie Sliders
(Dean Jezzard)
Whomp Off Australia is presented by Vissla, Da Fin Hawaii, The Bodysurfing Shop, WAW Handplanes, and Swellnet.
Comments
Congratulations to all our guests...
Enjoy your free wave of the day upon return ~ ~~/C..>=}o
Our batteries deserve a good bashin' to put 'em right...Swellnet hit list makes it all too easy!
Whomp Off 2018 was a bit too flash for us basherz but we proudly honour good deeds.
Best of the big fish [AWARD] We Salute Swellnet!
Any more sliding photos?
Can you start reporting the results of major bodyboarding comps in Australia too?
Boogerz baiting up Basherz don't usually say please! peabo is flying double overhead.
You reopened last months pack of bait worms but I reckon I can get you off the hook.
2018 Tweed coast has lit up the Surf World on every front
{R.I.P} Drownings plague the North & Sharks circle the South
Caba NSR (As reported by Swellnet)
I also nudged the crew on Tweed Coast's world of wonder...
HPC (Surfings High Performance centre out performing itself)note: Olympic Skate centre GC
Oz Adaptive Surfing Titles at Caba-Kingy (July)[Dale Rules] is the curtain raiser to...
Oz Surf Festival (Aug) 400 competitors open with...
Juraki Invitational(Fingal) respects pioneer Saltwater man son of King Camoi waterman
Longboarderz/ Loggers/ Surfmasters dined out at the NSR (Caba)
Together Peabo & Swellnet Bodybasherz toast Oz Surfing Festival Grande Finale.
"Oz Bodyboard Titles"(D'bah)...Recent Winners circle includes current champ.
2014 Adam Keegan
2015 Noah Symmans
2016 Jake Metcalfe
2017 Nathan Wilson
2018 Nathan Wilson + (Womens) Mille Chalker +(8 divisions)See Surfing Austraila.
Gate crashin' a bottom of the harbour basherz ball then ordering an uptown brew...Legend!
Hellman peabo is granted one final wave ~ ~~/C..[>=}o) avagoodweekend boogerz.
'Gate crashin' a bottom of the harbour basherz ball then ordering an uptown brew...Legend!'
Exactly!!! And drugging the DJ, then blastin' out reggae toons through the cascading mist, and plumes of smoke!!? Boogie nights 3... burnt toast setting off alarms up and down the eastern seaboard again!!!
Blowin out of the loop...y!!!!??? Again!!! In a nutshell!!!
Is that you at Blax , Crypy?
You wish blax broke like that, that guy. So you’re ‘that’ guy. There were so many. Sorry, ‘that’ guy, I was much less forgiving back then.
All good luv. I surfed that area thru to Streaky in the mid to late 70's and loved it. Locals were a lot friendlier back then.
good to see the crew had heaps of fun and i hope there was more on offer than the photo showed. gee that's a big hand plane!!!!!!!! 2019 Whomp Off- a no fin, no hand plane category?????????
Thanks Dave. I tell you what, if you come along to the next one ill make you a special 'nude' category, no fins no planes just waves. But what team would you slide for?
Although, are you sure I can't persuade you to try a plane? You should see our latest collab with the guys at Yulex! Get in touch if you're keen.
Stay legendary,
Rikki
A nude category sounds great. No fins, no planes, no swimmers/wetsuit!
Nude body bashing = trawling for bream.
Better hope they're not biting.
You sound like a real bad boy ‘that’ guy!
peabo asked to report on more Bodyboard finals & davetherave did just that.
Good call guys...Whomp off looks more like a Bodyboard Comp than a Bodysurfing event.
Double pump bodyboard + a pair of Flippers is hardly bodysurfing let alone bodybash'n.
Cheers to our Skeg cousins with more flesh in the game...Less shopping more surfing.
Bodybasher's hand has 100,000 receptors surfing 1 million maneuvers per second.
Bodybasher performs a billion maneuvers/second only it feels like more.
Leading hand/toe dip dexterity allows infinite options to reflect bodybasher personality.
How to walk/stair or cycle a wave with flippers. You'd look pretty daft!
As for hand fluttering/streaming/fist pumping or backhand drifting not with hands tied.
Handplane/wetsuits/flippers block sensation denying infinite universal flowlines!
Enjoy washing up your dishes...be selling us the kitchen sink next! ....surfjustsurf