Tanner McDaniel, the future is bright.

This week we find ourselves chatting to Tanner McDaniel who has been described as the prodigy, the wonder kid and even the phenomenon.

On Tanner's first year of the world tour he was voted rookie of the year, the youngest in the sport's history.

Mike Stewart's protege has firmly cemented himself in the history books already, could we see him go on to be one of the most complete bodyboarders of the modern era....

In Tanner's own words.

" I'm now 19 years old and I was born in Santa Cruz, California, my family moved to Kauai when I was 3 years old and Hawaii has been my home since.

I grew up at the beach and in the ocean so it's pretty hard to pinpoint the time when I picked up a bodyboard, I do however remember the first time I put on a pair of fins and went out to a spot where where I wasn't just going straight in the whitewash, I was 10 years old then.

When I was growing up the beach that I spent most time at was essentially a bodyboard only beach so it was only natural that I did that seeing as everyone around me was into bodyboarding.

Jeff Hubbard and Mike Stewart were something of gods to me, any from growing up in Hawaii would feel the same I'm sure.

My local break growing up was Brenneckes beach but my favourite break at home and infant in the world has to be Pipeline.

I remember my first legitimate bodyboard was a 39" science mini rig.

The early years of my bodyboarding were shared with my childhood best friend, then the Boogie Nation crew took me under their wing when I was young, showed me the ropes and gave me a nudge in the right direction.

I've been competing since I was 12 years old, I'm currently ranked 22 nd on the APB world tour.

I've been fortunate enough to have built a relationship with some pretty amazing companies.

I ride for Science Bodyboards, Gyroll leashes and accessories, Viper surfing fins, Grand Flavour and Vertra skincare.

Grand Flavour clothing is awesome they are absolute legends.

Pre surf music for me is anything that gets the heart rate up, rap usually works best for that.

My favourite bodyboarding memory was the first ARS I ever landed. I was surfing one of the local reef breaks and a bunch of buddies of mine at the time were out and everyone was going back to back getting really fun waves to ourselves, for some reason that session and wave are burned in my memory.

Earlier I mentioned how lucky I have been to be able to build such good relationships with my sponsors and I can't thank them enough for all the support that they give me.

From all the travel that I have been fortunate enough to have done I've met some of my best friends and shared some incredible experiences with them, I do a large portion of the travelling solo so it's always great knowing that the places I'm going to, I'm going to be around such awesome people"

Photo credits include:

@nnm.project

Alex Perezz

Cameron Taylor

Josh Tabone

Will Weaver

Tedford Mahiko

Christa Funk

Tanner, Thanks bro for taking time too chat to us, we wish you all the success your hard work deserves.

Next week we head over to Costa Rica to catch up with female bodyboarder Shar Rosada, until then enjoy the weekend.

Don't forget last couple of spots to fill on the all bodyboard charter to the Mentawais on July 9th, hit up @steviemaher either on facebook or insta, yewwwww......