Emerald boasts a large team of both International riders and local up and coming rippers. Here you can view our list of riders, as well as links to their personal blogs, and a few pictures of them ripping.
Ryan Hardy
Hardy is the newest addition to the rapidly improving team lineup for us here at Emerald. Hardy has way too many career achievements to list here, but I can say he has just won the 2011 IBA Box Pro, graced the cover of Riptide and Movement more than once, one a bunch of Riptide Peer Polls, won the Shark Island Challenge twice, won the Pipeline Pro, been in the top 16 in the World Tour Rankings for a loooooong time, and been labeled the current generation's style king! Basically, Hardy is the man, and we are super stoked to have him on board with Emerald. Ryan currently also rides for VS Bodyboards, Reeflex Wetsuits, Creatures of Leisure leashes, Unite Clothing and Stealth Fins
Mark "Boetie" McCarthy
South African Mark "Boetie" McCarthy is the newest recruit for the Emerald team. Mark has finished in the top 10 on the IBA World Tour for the past 5 years in a row. Mark won the final event on the IBA World Tour in 2010 at Confital in the Canary Islands. You can follow Mark's movements on his blog at www.followyourboetie.com. You will be able to see Mark once again on this year's new GSS World Tour, as he attempts to gain that coveted World Title. The companies that are supporting his Title shot are Stealth Bodyboards, Reeflex Wetsuits, Stealth fins, Power Balance Bands & Lizzard Clothing.
Jared "Jerry" Houston
Jerry has been a regular in Australia in the last couple of years, spending most of his time in and around Cronulla, and ripping up all the waves he has surfed. Last year, his second year on the world tour, he ended the year in 10th place in the world, after he started the year with a repeat performance of his 3rd place at the Pipeline Pro. Jerry is a superstar on the rise, with increasing coverage in all of the Aussie mags, and a lot of the sport's superstars predicting that he will be a serious threat to the world title in years to come. As well as Emerald, Jerry currently rides for sponsors, Turbo Bodyboards, Deluxe Fins, Zion Wetsuits & Grand Flavour Clothing. Check out his blog HERE
Sam "Grom" Strachan
Sam is Cronulla's latest Prodigy. He has been on the scene for a long time now, which gives a lot of people the impression that he's older than he actually is! Sam, the young, long haired, charming 18 year old has spent a lot of time traveling both in and out of Australia in the last few years, and has turned many a head in doing so. He rips in all conditions, big, small, heaving pits or ramps to the moon, Sam's bag of tricks has it all. Look out for big things to come from the affectionately named "Grom" in the very near future. The boys at Turbo Bodyboards have seen his potential and are helping to realise his dreams of traveling the world chasing waves, as have his other sponsors Reeflex Wetsuits, Freedom Fins & Plastic People Clothing. You can keep up to date with Sam's life at his blog here - http://samstrachan.tumblr.com/
Cam Green
Cam is an absolute hellman, whose antics at Shipsterns have been well documented recently. Cam however is no one-dimensional big wave charger, as he possesses great technical skill in the smaller juice as well, with good comp results to prove this. At 20 years old, Cam's quest for big heaving pits and crazy ramps has taken him to places such as Indonesia, South Australia, Queensland, and Hawaii, as well as the obvious abundance of waves in his home state of Tasmania. Cam is currently riding for HB Bodyboards, and Hollic Clothing.
Mark "Wattsy" Watts
Wattsy is another of the South African boys who is making a real impact on the bodyboarding world in 2011. With a stellar performance in the 2011 Pipeline Challenge, Mark made sure his presence was felt by a lot of the big names of our sport. Wattsy has been spending a very large amount of time in Aus for the last few years, and has impressed us with his determination to go big, despite being a smaller guy. He seems to have no fear in big waves! With a recent double page spread on Portuguese online mag Prone Media, Marks tru International exposure has begun, and this kid looks to have big things ahead of him. Wattsy is currently riding for Star Crossed Tatoo Shop in Hong Kong
John has long been one of Cronulla's best bodyboarders. Whenever the waves are good, John can be seen tearing the bag out of Shark Island, and his beloved Shoes. In the past John has been very successful chasing the world tour, however he has now opted to stop chasing the tour and focus on his career post bodyboarding. This does not mean he doesn't surf anymore, just that he doesn't travel as much now.
Josh Kaihe
Josh is a young guy from the Cronulla area, who has been impressing in the water lately. He has been putting in good performances at all of the decent sessions out Shark Island, as well as putting in countless hours of training every day in the water. Along with Sam Strachan, Josh has been labeled as the next young gun to come from Cronulla. We look forward to seeing some big things from Josh in the near future! Josh currently rides for LMNOP Bodyboards and Stealth fins.
Aaron "Azza" Glossop
Azza has been doing the rounds in the Cronulla scene for a while now, and has turned many heads with his dropknee abilities. He prefers a heavy reef break over a beachie and feels very comfortable hiding deep in the barrel. Most solid days out the Island and Suck Rock you will find him amongst the boys giving it a solid nudge on the knee. Such a love for dropkneeing big heavy reefbreaks is quite rare, so keep an eye out for more from Azza in the future! Azza also won the Australian Amateur Dropknee Title in 2011, and won the chance to compete in the ISA World Bodyboard Games in the Canary Islands. Azza is sponsored by Toys bodyboards and Swarm clothing.
Shaun "Peto" Petersen
Matt "Chiefy" Hall
Matt has been surfing around the Cronulla and South Coast reefs for years. Chief can be seen constantly surfing with his Go Pro board cam or helmet cam and is always updating his facebook pages with recent surfing images from his Go Pro. Chief is one of a select few who have pulled a GORF out Shark Island. Chief is sponsored by Pride, Dunes and Sports Camera.
Billy Danzey
Billy is another South Coast grom, from Helensburg. He is good mates with Dane Woods, and the pair can be seen regularly ripping up their home reefs and beachies, as well as travelling both north and south to chase waves. He has also just competed in the NSW State round, where he placed 3rd in the Cadets division. We look forward to seeing him do well at this year's Nationals event later in the year as well. Billy has recently picked up sponsorship from Science Bodyboards & Dunes wetsuits.
Dane Woods
Dane is a young ripper from Stanwell Park. He regularly travels up to Cronulla to surf the Island, as well as travelling south to surf the plentiful breaks of the South Coast. In 2010, Dane won the premier AAA division of the Cronulla Bodyboard Club comp in 2011, leading by a good margin. He has the potential to make a career out of bodyboarding. Dane is currently riding for Turbo Bodyboards, Ally Fins & Zion Wetsuits.
Dane is a young ripper from Stanwell Park. He regularly travels up to Cronulla to surf the Island, as well as travelling south to surf the plentiful breaks of the South Coast. In 2010, Dane won the premier AAA division of the Cronulla Bodyboard Club comp in 2011, leading by a good margin. He has the potential to make a career out of bodyboarding. Dane is currently riding for Turbo Bodyboards, Ally Fins & Zion Wetsuits.
Jack Baker
Jack is a young guy from Bundeena, who has been turning heads in the water recently. With the constant run of solid heavy swells we have seen in Cronulla this year, we have really noticed Jack stepping up to the plate and putting his body on the line. Add to that an impressive array of competition manouvers, and you have a pretty well rounded young bodyboarder, who is always keen to learn and improve his surfing, and surf new breaks to challenge his riding. Jack currently rides for Nomad Bodyboards, Attica Wetsuits and Limited Edition Fins.
Jon Capilli
Jon Capilli
Jon is a DK ripper from the Port Macquarie region. Jon regularly does very well in both State round comps as well as the Australian Tour. In 2010 Jon finished 1st in the Australian Pro Drop Knee tour, finishing ahead of Glen Sullivan in 3rd. Add to this his 2010 NSW State Senior Mens Title, and 2011 Senior Mens Title in both State and Nationals. While Jon is well known for his DK ability, he also rips it up prone. He is currently sponsored by Turbo Bodyboards and Dunes Wetsuits.
Glen "Sully" Sullivan
Glen has been chasing the biggest and heaviest waves he can for the last few years now. As well as chasing massive pits, Glen has traveled extensively to compete in both World Tour and Aussie Tour bodyboarding competitions. Sully excels in big waves. Whenever he is at home, Glen can be seen surfing Shark Island, or helping us out in Emerald if the waves are bad. Glen currently rides for Stealth Bodyboards, Dunes Wetsuits, Stealth Fins, Dragon Eyewear & ABC Clothing. Check out his blog HERE
Ben Sawyer
Ben is one of those guys who can not surf for 6 months, then come out and just make you embarassed! Benny absolutely rips in waves of all sizes, and seems to have no fear in the water. He has the ability to make it through barrels that look like they have completely gone past him. It is a skill that not many people possess. He competed in the 2009 Nomad Shark Island Challenge invitational event, where he completed some impressive moves as well as making some amazing barrels. Benny is sponsored by Turbo bodyboards and Unite clothing.
Lloyd Taylor
Lloyd, from Shellharbour, on the NSW South Coast, kills it on the foam. He is currently leading the top division of Cronulla Bodyboard Club, and has recently made the NSW State team to surf in the National Titles later in the year. Lloyd regularly gets to surf the world class reef breaks of a few areas of the South Coast, with the ability and drive to travel to wherever the waves are pumping. Lloyd rides for Reeflex Wetsuits and Swarm clothing. Here are a couple of shots of him doing his thing!
Other team members are:
Monique Farmer
Mark Bannon
Simon Cowan
Zac Reeves
Dean Castle
Will Pinkerton
Shaun Pyne
Shaun Pyne
Sorry we haven't got a feature on all of these guys, but as we get more pics and info on all of them, this page will continually be updated.