Patrick Orr
Fresh off of the back of quite possibly the best conditions seen at Nazare for the APB Pro, I couldn't be more excited for the 2019 season to kick off.
The standard that Bodyboarding is at right now is a culmination of guys and girls like Jared Houston, Ayaka Suzuki, Valentina Diaz, Iain Campbell, Amaury Laverne, Pierre Louis Costes, Joanna Shenker, Teresa Almeida, Tristan Roberts, Tanner McDaniel, Sari Oohara, Josh Burguete Kirkman, George Humphreys, Jacob Romero and Alan Munoz to name a few and the epic spots comps are now being run at...how much further can the sport we all love progress.
The answer to that question is in the youth coming through today, who are getting bolder and are fearless, please let me introduce you to another of the young guard.....
"My full name is Patrick Marshall Orr and I am 21 years of age.
I am from Hilo, Hawaii on the east side of the Big Island, I’ve lived here with my family for 17 years.
I started out surfing which led to Bodyboarding, I started to progress on a Bodyboard when I was about 11 or 12.
I got into Bodyboarding because it is fun and my friends were doing it, bodyboarding was the ideal thing to do after school, before school, or instead of school.
My friends and family have all influenced me in and out of the water to be who I am today.
My childhood hero is my dad for taking my siblings and I to the beach everyday after school.
Thank you dad for that and my mom for being such a kind person, thank you!
My local break is called KoleKole Beach Park on the Hamakua Coast, It’s where I grew up surfing most of the time.
If you had to describe how most of Big Islands waves are, the best way would be “ Why is that rock/ cliff there?
My favourite wave in the country is now covered by lava, my favourite wave in the world is called Deadies.
I am grateful to have made many memories surfing that wave before the lava covered it.
My first board was a Manta Sabre 39” loaded with a single stringer and stylish bat tail, it was the white deck and black slick combo.
My friends and I formed a pretty solid crew as we grew up, we always went to surf together, we usually don’t surf alone at many of the zones we go to, It depends on the situation though.
I have just gotten home from competing on the APB world tour South American leg for 2018.
My best result was equal 5th in the Antofagasta Bodyboard Festival.
I did the whole leg, which consisted of Brazil at Itacoatiara and Arica at El Gringo.
I also headed to Australia for the APB Tour 2018 Kiama Pro and have also just completed the Portugal leg.
I work as a Land Surveyor with a company by the name of DLB & Associates.
Shout out to Dan Berg and crew! It is a great job for me since I am outdoors all day and not in an office.
My sponsors are Hardy Shapes and Reeflex Wetsuits, thank you to Ryan Hardy, Gerardo, and the crew behind the scenes for providing the best gear in Bodyboarding, I appreciate it.
Right now I am riding a Hardy Shapes The Perfect Setup forty two inch board, very loose when it needs to be with the ability to drive on a dime.
It comes with a crescent tail, single stringer, mesh slick and contour deck, one of my favourite boards for sure.
I also rode the Classic series board in South America, which worked great in cold water. I have been wearing the 2/2 Reeflex Hardy Series Zipperless Spring Suit it keeps me at a perfect temperature.
I am using the Viper Delta Fins with some Gyroll Fin Pads, they have great thrust and help with the drag while riding the waves, my test for a fin is if it can grip.
The Viper Delta does indeed grip on to slippery rocks, my leash is a Gyroll Bicep leash.
I like the Reeflex line of clothing a lot, check it out online at Reeflex.com. durable and comfortable for all kinds of weather!
One song that is default amp is “Real Slim Shady” by Eminem.
My favourite Bodyboarding memory from growing up was when my dad and I stayed two weeks on the North Shore for the IBA Pipe Event, I believe it was 2012, my dad made it into the event and I did not. He got some sick ones in his heat, we surfed at Pipe, Ehukai sandbar, Rocky Point, V land the whole time, we got some really great waves this year.
I remember we stayed at Backpackers Inn near Foodland, this one time I was standing outside with my dad looking at the wave out in the front of our house, Damian King stayed on the property next to us. He was also looking at the wave. We were like “ah yeah looks like a nuts wave!” or something like that and he told me I was ripping from the session in the morning out at Ehukai sandbar.
It was surreal to hear that from someone I’ve always looked up to watching in bodyboarding films and what not, so yeah all in all my one of my favourite memories.
Aloha to all the Bodyboarders out there! Mahalo for the interview! Thanks for reading! Check out my instagram! @patrick_orr
Photographers include
@JBS Pictures
Wyatt Wilson
Nicolas Diaz Cortes-Monroy
Pablo Jimenez
Manua Babin
Kai Bradley
Matt Castiglione
Next week we are excited to announce that we have the privilege of catching up with Sari Oohara fresh from her success in Nazare winning performance of the year and finishing the 2018 APB season in 4th position.
I had the privilege of watching this unfold live and if you have the opportunity put an APB event on your bucket list, as Manny V said, they try and give viewers of the live feed a feel to how epic these boys are but until you have seen it in the flesh you can't believe how amazing it actually is watching from the beach.
Sari's performance in Nazare makes her a serious threat for the world title next year, she went all the way to the final, taking out Ayaka Sazuki in the semi finals and finally only being beaten by Alexandra Rinder in the final.
Thank you Manny, Teza, Sonya, Valentina, Ayaka, Sari, Vilma and the guys for making our trip so special and I hope Manny doesn't mind me saying but himself and the APB crew have some special VIP trips planned for all the APB fans next year watch this space.....
Until then.....
In association with:
VAN LIFE PRODUCTIONS
WWW.SUNZAPPERUK.COM
www.hippycream.com
