SIMMO ROMANO – This guy rips drop knee!

Imagine being an italian bodyboarder! The med does serve some good waves from time to time but really, to become this good at Drop knee on a bodyboard, how? This is pure natural talent, check how fluid this guy is.

We thought we would share this great vid. Makes you want to get out there and go wild! Tomorrow??

Simmo Romero carving dk cutback

MY NEW WEAPON OF CHOICE

I love to drop knee on a bodyboard! It has always been a challange to get up, trim and turn. Alas, there is always that tail wanting to slide out when you least want it. A lot of the time, especially in steeper surf you end up compensating for lack of hold in the wave face by applying more weight on the tail, this means you are affectively stalling to some degree to hold an edge thus less speed.

Well, thanks to FCS, fin control system have developed a soft surfboard fin solution that will accomodate their wide range of fins. I see it like this, i wouldn’t use a surfboard without skegs, i wouldn’t use a knee board without skegs either. Now, considering i am riding in a style that is sort of half way between the two then it is a bit of a no brainer that having fins could add performance in better waves. By FCS releasing this great bit of kit it gives us the ability to experiment with DK fin set ups and where they are placed on the board. You can fit them on your favourite boards and take them out for smaller days. Totally versatile.

There will be many die hard drop knee riders who will say that using fins is cheating! I say, if this takes me to places on the wave that i have not been before or gives me more speed and control in heavier situations then i’ll be mega stoked. Take a look at Kim feast, the guy is proper charging, really heavy waves and it shows, big time.

To me, this is to some degree an unknown science. I mean, how far from the tail do i place the fins, how far from the rail, how much do i tow the fins towards the nose. I have used the BZ maligro programme that had a fin set up. The board was fast, infact i have never travelled as fast DK on a wave but i found it too twitchy, the fins felt as if they were too far up the board and towed in too much. Add to this the fact that the board was very stiff and not really a shape i like to ride.

With FCS releasing this new system we will no doubt see other DK riders setting up and experimenting. Lets share that valuable experience and find out the measurements and variables that work. I am sure we are going to see some wicked new stuff being done drop knee in bigger and better waves.

The future is exciting and i cannot wait to give these little units a go, i will keep you posted.

FCS fins on my VS Costes bodyboard

FCS fins for Dropknee bodyboarding

ALEX WINKWORTH TODAY

Bodyboard HQ team rider Alex Winkworth, British bodyboarding drop knee champion 2011 is off to Gran Canaria in the morning to represent the UK at the surfing world games.

We caught up with him on the south coast this afternoon getting a bit of last minute practice. We think he has a fighting chance. What do you reckon? Here are a couple of shots.

Good luck Alex and everyone else representing the UK this week.

Alex Winkworth get radical

Bdyboard HQ team rider Alex Winkworth DK floater

Alex Winkworth drop knee DK snap

HOW MUCH SPRAY!

Ollie Medland has been in the UK bodyboarding scene for years. The guy rips on the knee, especially backhand. It takes years of dedication to get to this level.

Ollies’ style is well suited to backhand snaps and big turns. He utilises all his power into throwing huge chunks of water skywards. I only wish i could ride backhand like this!

This shot is from the 2011 BODYBOARD HQ British nationals at porthtowan.

Ollie Medland big DK snap

THE ART OF DK…..

Anyone who has tried to drop knee ride on a bodyboard will know just how hard it is to get up and hold a line along the face of a wave, let alone start to get into controlled turns etc.

Some riders just have the knack and make it look so easy. Take a look at this years DK comps on the IBA world tour this year. The riding is just getting better and more solid and we are starting to see guys ripping up some real solid surf too.

This years British championships was no exception to the level of dropknee skills being displayed. The boys killed it considering how bad the conditions were.

Congratulations to Dean page for winning the event and BODYBOARD HQ team rider Alex Winkworth for winning this years British drop knee bodyboarding tour.

I thought i would share a couple of shots from the day. Enjoy…

Dean Page floater at the2011 BODYBOARD HQ British nationals

Ollie Medland sticks it on the rail

Alex winkworth DK hack