“JESUS CHRIST…JACOB ROMERO, DONT ASK ME ANYTHING, LOOK FOR YOURSELF. THIS GUY KILLS IT WHERE EVER, WHEN EVER, AND IN EVERY WHICH WAY POSSIBLE. STRAIGHT AMAZING. EVEN I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT HE’S ON THE SUPER TOUR! IN NO WAY WAY WILL I SAY THAT, OH WHAT IS THIS GUY THINKING, OR HE’S NOT READY FOR SUCH A BIG STAGE. HAHA…PLEASE, I WORRY FOR THE OTHER GUYS!!! GREAT GUY! HE JUST CRUISES! THIS IS JUST FROM ME…BUT ASK WHOEVER THAT REALLY KNOWS HIM, AND THEY WILL SAY ROUGHLY AROUND THE SAME THING!”

“P.S. BUT NOT AS GOOD AS ME!!!”

- KONA KUAILANI

What’s your name?
Jacob Romero

Where are you from originally?
Waiehu, Maui Hawaii

Where do you live now?
I live out of my board bag, but when I’m in Hawaii I stay at my house on Maui.

How old are you?
24

How long have you been bodyboarding?
11 years

Prone or DK? If both, how much of each?
Prone 86%, DK 14%

Who do you bodyboard with?
My brothers Jonah and Josh Romero, Shea, Jimmy, Viso, Leroy, Nick, Kyle, Reis, Colin, Kona, Kingsley, Riley, Bondy, Timmy, Dphil, the boys from Heights Productions, anybody who stay out, all kine bodyboarders, and Boogie Nation.

What is your favorite bodyboard spot?
All over Maui and Off The Wall.

Where have you traveled to bodyboard?
Cook Islands, Mexico 4x, Australia, Indonesia 2x, Chile 2x, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Portugal 2x, Japan, Spain, Peru, all of the US, and the Hawaiian Islands

Where do you want to travel to bodyboard?
Anywhere there is sick waves.

What board(s) do you ride?
I ride the Turbo IV 40 inch board. Sickest board ever. turbosurfdesigns.com.au

Do you compete?
Yes

If so, what competitions have you competed in?
All of the USBA’s, and most of the IBA’s.

What is the bodyboarding community in Hawaii like?
The bodyboarding community in Hawaii is huge and like family. We are all friends and we have a lot of fun when we surf. Everyone has their own style. It’s unique. It doesn’t get boring. So many bodyboarders that rip here and don’t even care to be sponsored. Which is sick because if you’re in it just for the fame and money then bodyboarding isn’t you’re thing. Bodyboarding is the best thing in the world and you should have fun doing it. That’s why bodyboarding in Hawaii is so sick. Everyone is out there to have fun.

Do you have any sponsors? What companies?
Yes, my sponsors are: Turbo Surf Designs, Hi-Tech Maui, Kicks, and Maui Thing Clothing.

What other board sports do you partake in?
Board games like scrabble and words with friends

What bodyboard goals do you have?
Top 16 on the IBA tour, 1st on the USBA tour, cover shot on a magazine (Bodyboarder), world champ, and keep traveling the world with my boogie.

Where do you see the bodyboarding going in the future?
I see it going bigggggggg!!!!

What riders influenced your bodyboarding?
Jeff Hubbard, Kyle Maligro, Leroy Kaiwi, and Jimmy Hutaff

What riders are pushing the sport right now?
All of the Hawaiians.

If you were stranded on a desert island that already has a plentiful resource of bodyboards and fins what three things would you bring?
Shrimp, bananas, and water.

What is the best advice you can give to a bodyboard grom trying to get recognized?
Stay positive, surf everyday even if it sucks, stay drug free, surf North Shore Oahu, and have fun.

Any last words of advice? Shout outs?
Thank you Jesus, my mom and dad, my sponsors Turbo Bodyboards, Hi-Tech, Maui Thing Clothing, KICKS fins, family, friends, Bodyboardershawaii, Maurice, Beppu, Boogie Nation, Heights Productions, Evan Fa for the questions, and bodyboardculture.com for this interview. Wooooooo!!!!!