Name:
Karl Liebenberg
Years Body Boarding:
Since 1987 so +- 25 Years
What ‘s your favourite:
Waves?
North Beach, Cave Rock, Keiki, Dairy lefts, OTW, Pipeline
Place?
The beach
Food?
Italian
Riders?
Aka Lyman, Andre Botha, Ben Severson, Cockwell’s, Chris Juredin, David Legleye, Hauoli Reeves ,Jason Boddy, Gareth Harvey, Guilherme Tamgea , Ross McBride, Ben Player, Manny Vargas, Paul Roach, Kavan Okumara, Sean Virtue, Ben Holland, Ryan Hardy, Spencer Skipper, Steve McKenzie and Mike Stewart.
When and where did you start?
I started at South beach, and then moved up to Wedge, New pier and finally North beach.
What was good about North Beach?
It is the most consistent wave in the world and still is. In the 90’s only body boarders could ride there, so there was a vibe, crews and rivalry amongst the old school and the next generation. There was always a wave to be ridden at North beach. There were a variety of waves; north bowl a fun consistent left, far bowl a sick right that cooked on hot summer days even when it was onshore and the shore breaks on the high tide with all your mates in the school holidays.
The outside in front of the pier was the spot (first peak) where all the sponsored and old school riders would take off when there was a good swell running followed by 2nd peak . You just knew there would be guys to ride with after school and when there was a swell there was a pecking order and you had to earn your respect to get waves.
How was the competitive scene when you started?
The SABA tour was run by Tony Abrahams, there were 2 big events in Durban in April and July over the school holidays, hundreds of people used to watch these well run events – it was awesome, being in the finals and on stage in front of a crowd full of mates and competitors was the business.
1990 was my last year in the boys division, but this turned out to be my year to make a competitive name for myself. Up until then I was relatively unknown. I won Dairy Maid (April) , Natal Championships, Heat wave club contest and got my natal colors.
After that, you started to get quite a few pictures in other magazines?
Yes when I moved up a division I was not doing too well and I would get more stoked on getting a picture in the magazine than winning a contest. International magazines like RIPTIDE and USA BODYBOARDING were like the bible, I use to read and study them over and over on how the guys would position themselves for the camera. It was all about getting the shot.
Which photographers did you work with?
I was fortunate to meet up with Chris van Lennep early in my career.
I use to hook up with Van a lot at North beach and Cave rock.
He was and still is the best water photographer in the world!!
What magazines have you been featured in?
I’ve been in quite a few magazines around the world. SA BODY BOARDNG, RIPTIDE, INVERT, USA BODYBOARDING,PRO BB and 360 (cover shot) all thanks to Van.
I’m very proud to have got the poster at Cave Rock, it was the first body boarding poster in South Africa! Every kid that bought the magazine had the poster on their wall. Another highlight was the shot in USA BODYBOARDING which was a double page spread and one of the first shots taken from behind a body boarder in the barrel.At the time, the angle and creativity of the shot which gave you a perspective of what it’s like to be in the barrel, had never been seen before.
You were involved with Heat wave and Natal Committee?
Under the guidance of Tony Abraham and other top riders, we started helping out with running of the trials, clubs, Head judging and judging.
How did you become an international judge?
Well once I started judging at club level I naturally moved on to the local tour and would be asked to judge especially when I travelled to other events around the country.
Then in 1996 I was invited to go to Reunion Island for a GOB (IBA tour) event to judge the best riders in amazing waves. After that it was all about getting to Hawaii, which was the proving ground for every body boarder in the world, to compete in the Pipeline pro.This was still the best event I have ever seen; the year Steve McKenzie won man on man at massive Pipe.
Where else have you travelled?
Hawaii, Reunion Island, Indo, Portugal, France, England, Brazil, Australia, Mozambique and Tahiti
What is the most memorable thing you saw on tour?
Jeez quite a few! Andre Botha comes to mind, first was at pipeline when he got a perfect 10…when he was 15 yrs old…And then the following year when he won the Pipeline and the World title I was on the final panel …in the dying seconds…
Thoughts on the world tour now?
I think our IBA venues are on par with the ASP tour, also it’s amazing to have two Saffas Mark McCarthy and Jared Houston in the top 10 of the IBA World tour. They are great role models and ambassadors for our sport and country.
Would like you to see an event here?
Of course and it’s happening this year with the Tand event as a speciality in Cape Town.
It would be amazing to have an IBA grand slam event here in Durban or Cape town, but I think it would also be great to have a qualifying event as it would a be great platform for our riders to get into the grand slam events.
How did KEIKI come about?
Well for a few months I did not know what I wanted to do. I realised that with all my years of travelling, competing and judging in the body board world I had something to offer and give back.
I’ve met every top body boarder in the world, ridden most of the top body board spots in the world and ridden every type of board there is. With this experience and knowledge I’ve gained while travelling abroad and judging on the world tour, I feel I know everything there is know to about bodyboarding. I wanted to create a body board brand\company.
I was not sure what I wanted to do in the beginning, I thought of opening a full on store or supplying a few surf shops with products. So I started off simply with a few tees and rash vests and opened at the stables market and started to sell some body board products as well and test the market.
Then I was bugged by an old school body boarder and teacher to run a contest for the schools in Durban, which is in its 4th year now.
The cool thing about doing events is it gets everyone together. I would like to see more team events though as body boarding is an individual sport and sometimes secluded.
How did you come up with the name?
I had a few names in beginning, but I wanted something with meaning and that was easy to remember and short.
KEIKI: means kid/child in Hawaii and is the name of the heaviest shore break in Hawaii that we (saffas) were famous for riding. So it’s got a double meaning which is cool.
I then had to get a website,the site is a breath of fresh air in South Africa Bodyboarding, and with the help of Angelo and Jono it’s been growing and has a great following! It’s something that was needed here…
You can check out the wave forecasts in your local areas, international and local bodyboarding news, the latest podcasts and pictures, an online store and exclusive interviews with some of the best bodyboarders in the world.
What are your plans for KEIKI ?
KEIKI can be South Africa’s first 100 % body board beach company.
It will take time to do this and the right structure and plan.
I believe the KEIKI brand will become a leading name in the sport and when kids want to body board the name will come up first. I want to change the public perception that body boarding is a sport and not just recreational,
Then get stuck in and create a nationwide program with schools, clubs, community’s and the government. Teaching kids how to body board and learn ocean awareness.
Finally…
I would like to run or be part of an IBA world tour event in Durban and bring some of the best body boarders to North Beach/ Cave Rock would be amazing!!
Seeing the best riders live in action would inspire the next generation of kids in South Africa. I want to see kids wearing body board clothing, wearing a body boarding wetsuit and using a board that is made by a company/brand that is directly involved in the sport.
MALOHA
