Win Your Place on the Turbo 5 Global Team
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| AND THE WINNER IS..........Sam Strachan |
| Turbo V Competition Results |
In January 2010 to celebrate the launch of the new Turbo 5 board to our range, Turbo Surf Designs put out the call to the global bodyboarding community to show us the “hottest emerging bodyboard talent in the world to become a member of the Turbo 5 team”. The prize offered was the exclusive opportunity to become a professional bodyboarder as part of the Turbo 5 team, which means global team trips with professional photographers and all the other perks that come with being part of the Turbo professional team. Riders were asked to send video clips and additional information to stake their claim.
The contest closed 30th June 2010 and the number and quality of the entries received simply blew us away!! There were hundreds of clips sent from all over the world and the overall quality of riders out there has to be seen to be believed. Lets just say the current crop of professional riders should be grateful for the position they hold and more importantly watch your backs people, there is a new crop of deserving talent coming after you! The standout of the competition was the number of entries received from Brazil, but it was not the number that was the standout it was the level of surfing contained within these entries. Brazilian riders have unfairly been known in the past for there ability to tear small waves apart but the quality and size of the waves contained in the Brazilian clips were as good if not better than any. The riders showed no fear with style and power to boot. 2 Brazilian riders made the finals and many more were unlucky to miss out!
It was an extremely difficult task to separate the top 5 entries received. In the end other factors such as competition results and feedback from local peers was sought to separate the best of the best. It was impossible and unfair to judge on the clip alone, and each entry had a story.
| Finalist One – Nathan Rubio (Hawaii) |
Finalist One – Nathan Rubio (Hawaii): Nate is 23 years old and from the Big Island of Hawaii and listed his favourite spots as Off The Wall (Hawaii) and Monuments in Australia. Nate entered the following clip, Hawaiian style!
Nathan Rubio
| Finalist Two – Damien Martin (Australia) |
Finalist Two – Damien Martin (Australia): Loads of entries were received from Australia though we ultimately chose this clip of Damien Martin from the South Coast of NSW. Damo is the ultimate underground hero who chased every swell in Australia in 2010 and the rewards are for all to see...
Damien Martin
| Finalist Three – Michael Ostler (South Africa) |
Finalist Three – Michael Ostler (South Africa): Michael is another of the seemingly never ending talent to come out of South Africa, like many before him he has ventured to Hawaii to prove his worth and this was rewarded in the 2010 Turbo Pipeline Pro, where Michael progressed all the way into the quarter finals before tragedy struck! He was cleaned up by a rogue set while paddling out for his quarter final and ripped his shoulder right out and was taken to hospital without getting a wave in his heat. Not to be deterred Michael headed straight back to SA to recover and has been training hard and is on his way to Australia to take his bodyboarding to the next level. Respect
Michael Ostler
| Finalist Four – Kalani Lattanzi & Giuliano Lara (Brazil) |
Finalist Four – Kalani Lattanzi and Giuliano Lara (Brazil): The level of the clips received from Brazil was simply mind blowing, we sought local feedback to try to separate the top entries because they were all that good. Even after that process we could not split the following 2 entries. Kalani Lattanzi is only 16 years of old. He goes big and has style for someone of his age and we believe has a huge future in the sport and has been offered a sponsorship with Turbo and is a future pro in the making.
Kalani Lattanzi
The 2nd finalist from Brazil is Giuliano Lara, who at the age of 34 is the opposite end of his career to Kalani. In saying that the level of Giu’s surfing and the positive things he does for the sport of Bodyboarding in Brazil deserves recognition.
Giuliano Lara
| The Turbo V board |
After 12 years experience of hand crafting performance bodyboards for the World’s best riders and 100’s of underground rippers, Turbo’s Head Shaper Glenn Taylor has designed the most functional performance board available on the market. With its distinctive colours and stamp design the Turbo 5 is the board to represent the 100’s of underground and emerging rippers around the world who demand a functional and versatile board that is designed for THEIR performance (and doesn’t have someone else’s performance in mind and their name on it!). Click here to view the detailed specs of the Turbo 5
| The Turbo 5 Team |
Being part of the Turbo 5 team is the launch pad to becoming a bodyboarding superstar!
4 riders have been hand picked from across the globe and given the opportunity to become a fully fledged professional bodyboarder. The team consists of:
- Jones Russell (Australia)
- Jared Houston (South Africa)
- Salomon Moore (Canary Islands)
- Leo Leite (Brazil)
- Sam Strachan (Australia)
As a member of the Turbo 5 team you are offered the opportunity to launch your bodyboard career.
The current Turbo 5 team riders have been flown to Hawaii in Feb 2010 and provided a house right on Hawaii’s famous North Shore. Two riders will receive a sponsors wildcard into the IBA Turbo Bodyboards Pipeline Pro Contest. The team will have a full time dedicated professional photographer shooting every session. Each rider will be the face of the Turbo 5 in their home region with extensive advertising and other opportunites.