Surfer Sucker Punches Bodyboarder in Head After Blatant Drop In (Watch)

As supposed sworn enemies, surfers and bodyboarders have a rocky history.

Or so it was, traditionally so, for much of the modern era. The tensions are cooling, however, as many surfers are embracing the ways of their prone positioned brethren, and exploring the opportunities boogs provide in riding waves surfboards cannot.

Nonetheless, altercations still arise. A drop-in is a drop-in, no matter the board. But does it merit violence? Over a two-foot gutless wave?

The clip above from Duranbah, on Australia’s Gold Coast shows, illustrates that senseless violence over mediocre surf – a bodyboarder drops in on a surfer, and the surfer subsequently sucker punches the bodyboarder in the back of the head.

Not much context. No aftermath. No “let’s take it to the beach.”

Surf fighting in general, however, is common across the globe and along this specific stretch of beach – mostly at places like nearby Snapper Rocks, one of the most crowded (yet most perfect) surf spots in the world.

In a video from a few months ago, surf filmer Lionel Albino chronicled that craziness Superbank craziness, along with the surf rage that comes along with it.

Captioning the vid, Albino wrote:

"Snapper Rocks… The strongest survive on this beach in Australia, there are no rules and fights are the order of the day in the water… The #1 beach in violence, drop in, no respect and fights in the world."

But perhaps this is more of an isolated incident. Was the punch because the other person was a bodyboarder? Or was it simply due to the drop-in?

Whatever the case, the relationship between surfers and bodyboarders appears to have evolved in recent times, and in a positive way. During an interview on Jamie O’Brien’s podcast, World Champion bodyboarder Jeff Hubbard spoke to this:

“The good news is, from a bodyboarders perspective, is that there are a lot less people out there doing that these days. Today, you see a lot more kook surfers on soft-tops ruining the sessions. It’s more of a surfer-to-surfer beef than it used to be.”

You heard it; beef, squashed.

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