Ginger Prados

Massive congratulations to Sammy Morretino on his success in Sintra recently, now 2 x APB DK World Champion and recipient of a free trip on Stevie Maher's 2019 DK Charter to the Mentawais.

For a chance to book your spot to cruise with Sammy in the Ments or on any one of the trips Stevie will be running next year give Stevie a hola on Facebook or Insta.....

Hawaii is another breeding ground for world class bodyboarders and is home to some intense waves that if your brave enough will put you in the spotlight for the whole world to see.

Our next feature has taken everything Hawaii has got to offer and developed a fearless style that is turning heads and at only 19 is charging waves both shore breaks and reefs and is getting the exposure and support she so thoroughly deserves, please let me introduce to you Ginger Prados.

"Hi I'm from Maui, Hawaii and I am still currently living here.

Being born and raised in Hawaii I practically grew up at the beach. Both my parents grew up surfing & bodyboarding; they would take my siblings and me down to the beach almost daily.

When I was 7yrs old I got my first bodyboard for Christmas in 2005, it was a Morey boogie board.

That morning we went to Ho`okipa Beach Park on the North side of Maui, my home break, and ever since then I have been hooked to the sport!

I have a twin sister, Amber, who also shares the same love I do for bodyboarding, she is my main bodyboarding partner! We often get mistaken for each other – I have lighter hair!

Bodyboarding is more than just a passion, it’s my lifestyle. I have built my life around bodyboarding, and will continue to do so.

A few of my goals include travelling, surfing new waves, making new friends, and competing in bodyboarding contest around the world. I would love to make a career out of bodyboarding, whether it’s travelling to compete or teaching people how to bodyboard. I want to share the joy of the sport with the next generation.

I started watching bodyboarding videos and realised that you can do so much more than just ride the wave… from reverse spins to 720 spins, ARSs, inverts, el rollos, dropkneeing, stand up bodyboarding, or even proning and riding the tube. I love watching it all - it expands my mindset on what is possible with a board + a wave!

There are so many bodyboarders that I look up to and find inspiration from – too many to name! Some of the Maui boys that I would love to shoutout, because they have given me solid advice that I took to heart, are Cary Kayama, Jacob Romero, Cody Mailou-Kauai, Kaiahi Kealoha-Nakagawa, and a couple other OG Maui boys including my dad who showed me and my twin how to ride shore break & commit to the drop!

One of my favorite bodyboarding videos to watch is on YouTube called “Girl Jam (opening segment).” I tried looking for the whole video but couldn’t find it. If anyone knows where I can find it, I would greatly appreciate it!

I must say watching other girls bodyboard is a big inspiration for me, especially if they have good style when riding waves. I admire riders like Claudia Ferrari, Ayaka Suzuki, Valentina Diaz, Kelly Gordan, Lilly Pollard, Isabela Sousa, Alexandra Rinder, Joana Schenker, Megwyn Saunders, & the list goes on. My top favorite woman bodyboarder that I look up to would have to be my momma, she’s one of the main reasons why I got into bodyboarding & she was the one that taught me how to do a spin and get up on the knee

I was 15yrs old when I got my first sponsors - A local Bodyboard Shop here on Maui called The Foam Company, a Poke food truck called Like Poke, & Wahine Action a Lifestyle brand “Made to Inspire, Guide, and Encourage Wahine of the world!”… Wahine Action is currently creating a film dedicated to bodyboarding, surfing, skating, diving, hula, & a ton of other amazing things girls around the world do.

If you girls want to be featured check their IG page out @wahineaction!!! I recently started riding for the Science Hawaii team (amateur level).

I use a Science Hybrid, Delta Viper fins, & a Gyroll Bicep leash.

When I was younger I would always day dream about one day getting sponsored for bodyboarding and I am stoked it’s actually turned into a reality for me. I am always looking for new products & companies to represent here in Hawaii.

When I was a senior in high school, I made a pink bodyboard out of surfboard material.

There were a handful of people who helped me out with the project, without whom I wouldn’t have been able to do it… Shout out to Cary & Alisha Kayama (owners of the Foam Co), Charlie Smith, Sesame. S, David. G, & Mrs. Alioto…I was so stoked with the final product that I took it down to Paia Bay on the North side of Maui & tried it out first thing after it was all done! Because it was made out of fiber glass, I got a lot of speed and could pretty much only do spins with the board cause of how heavy it was. I was scared to hit the lip to get air - I didn’t want to land wrong or hit my head on it. Eventually I am going to put fins on the bottom to make it better for standup & DK!

Shore break or reef break, I love it all! From 2ft faces to 16ft faces, if it’s a ridable wave I am out there. The adrenaline rush I get when I drop into a bomb is something I can’t explain… It’s addicting, just like eating desert you can’t just take one bite you gotta go back for more because it’s just that good!!! Same with duck diving, a lot of people don’t like it but I don’t mind it.

For me bodyboarding is my escape from reality, & when you duck dive, especially when it’s a wall of white wash that you can’t see the top of, you aren’t thinking about anything in your life except when you will take your next breath of air or if this is it…The biggest wave I have ever caught was about a 16ft face.

There have been a couple of times that I’ve paddled out in conditions like that. One of the places is my home break Ho’okipa (the same day Jaws/Peahi was breaking) & the other one would have to be the famous Honolua Bay - that place gets so sketchy.

I have battle wounds from bodyboarding at both places and I have also almost died a couple of times while being out at the Bay, from unexpected sets rolling in, to getting stuck in the reef (that’s a whole other story though).

The scariest thing that has ever happened to me while out doing what I love would have to be when my leash wrapped around my legs while bodyboarding shore break. I don’t know how that happened but it happened… I felt like a mermaid in a washing machine except I couldn’t move.

I don’t know how long I was under but it felt like forever. I just relaxed & went with the flow. I eventually was able to pop my head out of the water and got my legs untangled. For about a week after it happened I had the ugliest bruises all over my legs; it looked like a snake wrapped around my legs!

I have so many memories from bodyboarding & I can’t wait to make more!

Mahalo Lidlife for everything you guys do for this sport & for making a blog all about bodyboarding!

…ALOHA…

Photo Credits include:

Manny Gonzo Gonzalez

Eddie Fuentes Jr

Daryl Yuuki

Schawnee Galacia

Kaiahi Kealoha-Nakagawa

Leilani Zerkle

Ginger we love seeing what you are up to on Insta some of the waves you take off on we take our hat off to you, we love watching you charge and you are an inspiration to a whole generation of young female bodyboarders and for that we respect you... Thank you for taking the time out to share your story with us and maybe one day we will have the privilege of you taking us out to some of your breaks in Hawaii.....

Next week sees us catch up with Saffa charger Shaun Haage so until then thanks for reading.........

In association with

VAN LIFE PRODUCTIONS