KEIKI

Here’s Jacob Romero in episode four of the Turbo Hawaii Podcast series.
It’s going to be interesting to see him follow this years tour!

The 2012 IBA Box Pro Starts the 26th of March, Last years event finished in epic conditions with Local Rider Ryan Hardy taking it out. Can he win back to back? or will there be a new IBA Box Pro Champion?
http://www.ibaworldtour.com 

Jeff Hubbard was crowned the IBA Pipeline Challenge Champ for a second year in a row.
The IBA 2012 Pipeline Challenge was regarded as one of the best events of
body boarding at Pipeline with Pipeline and the riders putting on an amazing show for 4 days in a row.

The Shaggy Show EP06.
This is what happens behind the scenes and
on the beach at the 2012 IBA Pipe Challenge.

Sacha Specker is the new 2012 IBA Pipe Challenge Dropknee Champion. The South African took top honours, defeating three Hawaiians,Bud Miyamoto, Miles Kauhaahaa and Kainoa McGee in fun three to four foot waves.

As the only non-Hawaiian in today’s dropknee final, South African, Sacha Specker, was a clear underdog. He had been in a final twice before but never tasted victory, until today. He sat slightly wide of the Hawaiians and went about picking off waves that were running along the inside reef at Pipe.

“It’s an incredible feeling winning this event. It’s a bit of a dream still. I think it’ll kick in tomorrow, when we play the Aussies in cricket”, said Specker.

 Well done Spex from the Keiki Crew and I’m sure all the other South Africans back home.
You and all the other boys did SA Body boarding proud this year in Hawaii!!!

Manny Vargas has got a new job on the IBA WORLD TOUR this year and from this clip looks like the 2012 Tour is going to be a lot different to last years…
BOOM !!!

“New job, new eye candy. I’ve got my 7D and GoPro Hero2 ready to rock and roll”.
Can’t wait to bring you the IBA World Tour through my lens. You ready?

Music:
Band: Planningtorock
Song: Living It Out

After an amazing season in 2011, the crew at IBA is planning for a bigger and better tour in 2012. The season opener will again be in February at the Pipeline Pro, from February 10^thto 25^th, where the Men, Women and Dropknee riders will lay the platform for their campaigns, with maximum Grand Slam points up for grabs. This year Pipe will include an extra day of competition, which will expand the field for both the DK & Women’s events.

From there, the Dropknee World Tour heads to Peru for the second Grand Slam event of the year from March 1^st to 4^th. Jose Ugarte and his Peruvian team have moved the event forward in hope of better conditions. The Peruvian event is solely for dropknee with $15,000 up for grabs. “Our main focus is to attract the worlds best DK riders and to give them the contest they deserve”, said Ugarte.

March sees the world’s best riders return to the wild west of Australia for the Grand Slam Series’ Box Pro, from March 26^th to April 4^th, with the infamous Box and Gas Bay the setting for what will be an awesome showdown. After last year’s crazy final action, the anticipation is high for another epic event.

The Women’s World Tour hits Reunion Island from March 7^th to 9^th, for the Manapany Surf & Music Festival. This is a stand-alone event for the girls and after the success of the Men’s event in 2011, the girls are pumped!

A new addition to the tour, the Port Macquarie Bodyboarding Festival, will take place from April 14^th to 23^rd, rolling off the back of the Box event. This new event will feature a Grand Slam for both Women and DK, as well as the first of the 6 Star Global Qualifying Seriesevents, which will be supported by a host of sideline Teams challenges.

May and June are busy months for South America, starting with Antofargasta, a 6 Star GQSevent in Chile from May 9^th to 13^th, in Chile kicking off a 4-event leg, followed by the Arica Chilean Challenge a Grand Slam Series event from May 18^th to the 27^th.

The La Cosa Pro in Iqueque from May 30^th to June 5^th, will play host to the GQS and bridge the gap to the newest GSS event in Itacoatiara, Brazil from June 7^th to 16^th.

During late June and July, the tour breaks to hold out for epic conditions at IBA Specialty event at Shark Island in Cronulla.

The second semester launches in August at the Zicatela Pro August 1^st to 11^th. Expectations are high and the stage is set after the high-octane performances at Puerto Escondido this year.

Late August the tour heads to Europe for the 6 Star Ferrol Pro from August16th to19^th and the Sintra Portugal Pro from August 25^th to September 2^nd.  Sintra, which a Women’s World Tour, Grand Slam Series and Dropknee World Tour event, has been extended by two days this year to allow for the best possible conditions.

From Europe, the tour heads across the Atlantic to New Jersey on the east coast of the United States for the Jenks Pro, a stand-alone 6 Star GQS event and possibly a Grand Slam dropknee event, from September 4^th to 10^th.

October will bring the Bodyboard Pro Festival, a stand-alone one star WWT, DKWT and GQS event from October 27^th to 30^th in Venezuela and the Puerto Rico Pro a Grand Slam event for the Women’s, Dropknee and Men’s world tours from November 2^nd to 13^th at Middles. The then rolls through Azores for a stand-alone one star Women’ World Tour and Global Qualifying Series event from November 28^th to December 2^nd. And finally onto theCanary Islands for the last Grand Slam Series event, from December 6^th to 17^th.

It’s another massive year of action for both the fans and the riders, most notably the inclusion of the new event in Brazil in June. It’s been a few years since the IBA staged a full-blown Grand Slam Series event in Brazil and Itacoatiara is a perfect spot- close to Rio, with a large fraternity of enthusiastic bodyboarders.

The IBA are making structural changes to the competition format which, will be announced shortly. IBA World Tour Manager, Terry McKenna, is ecstatic about the year ahead. “IBA set a great foundation last year that we can build off in 2012. We have fresh faces, some new venues and I believe that we are going to see the sport really boom off the back of our new TV series. Its exciting times ahead for all. This is the new Dream Tour”, he said.