When it comes to legends of bodyboarding Jay Reale is the real deal. A pioneer of the sport, he has witnessed some of the most historic moments to go down in bodyboard history. This year was no exception, as Jay returned to the commentary booth for the first ever world tour event to be held in the Maldives. Proving popular amongst fans, he then made another appearance at the recent Fronton King event where the 2022 champion Tristan Roberts was crowned.
One of the highlights of the Bodyboard Holidays annual calendar is when both Jay and his wife Vicki join us in El Salvador. It comes as no surprise that it is one of our most popular destinations each year. Not only do we get to catch amazing waves with these legends, we get the pleasure of listening to the endless tales and memories Jay has to share.
From first competing back in 1980 at the age of 16, Jay’s professional career continues within the sport. From competing to commentating, featuring on magazine covers to founding one of the worlds largest bodyboard stores ebodyboarding.com – Jay knows an awful lot about bodyboarding!
In this interview we turn back the clock as we talk about when Mike Stewart showed up on scene in 1982, Guilherme Tâmega pushing the limits at Pipeline in 1994, and Mike ‘Eppo’ Eppelstun becoming the first Australian world champion in 1993.