“What could I not say about Jonah? He goes really big, which is no surprise because many know his two brothers—Jacob and Josh—and the boys from Maui. He is one of the next generation of Hawaiian bodyboarders to tackle the globe and make a name for himself. Not only that, though, because he is also one of the coolest, most down to earth braddahs you will ever meet.”

-Evan Fa

What’s your name?
Jonah Romero

Where are you from originally?
Waiehu, Maui.

Where do you live now?
Honolulu, Oahu.

How old are you?
21

How long have you been bodyboarding?
9 beautiful yrs.

Prone or DK? If both, how much of each?
I’d say 95% prone, 2.5% DK, 2.5% stand-up.

Who do you bodyboard with?
Well, I usually go to the beach solo, and there are usually a million guys out, so I guess you could say I bodyboard with the whole wide world.

What is your favorite bodyboard spot?
Churchez, K Harbor, Ledge, OTW.

Where have you traveled to bodyboard?
Rarotonga, Philippines, Japan, Cali, Jersey, New York, Florida, Rosarito, Puerto, all over Hawaii.

Where do you want to travel to bodyboard?
Tahiti, South America, Mentawais, Aus.

What board(s) do you ride?
No.6 Sting 39.5—No.6 custom gangsta series.

Do you compete?
Yes.

If so, what competitions have you competed in?
I’ve been on the USBA Tour for the past couple years, and I’ve done Pipe twice; but I’m looking forward to doing some world events this coming year.

What is the bodyboarding community in Hawaii like?
Pretty tight! It’s a proud community to say the least…we all look out for each other and push each other.

Do you have any sponsors? What companies?
Yes, Jesus Christ, No.6 Bodyboards, Hi-tech surf sports, Ambitious Faith, and Maui Thing clothing.

What other board sports do you partake in?
Umm, I’ll longboard when it’s really tiny and paddle board. Basically anything to get in the water. I also love to run, swim, go to the gym, and smoke guys in racquetball once in a while.

What bodyboard goals do you have?
Win the US tour and join the World tour full time. But, most of all, I just want to have fun and enjoy myself doing what I love to do.

Where do you see the bodyboarding going in the future?
It has to go up and it will. It’s become a very popular sport, especially here in Hawaii. We jus need to stay positive and keep on plugging!

What riders influenced your bodyboarding?
Growing up I had great mentors like Jimmy Hutaff, Leroy Kaiwi, Evan Kaihui, Chad Militante, and Carey Kayama. They all pointed me in the right direction and always reminded me to have fun. Also, the Hubbards really influenced me growing up.

What riders are pushing the sport right now?
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?
Food, a trailer home, and a medic just in case things got a lil gangster.

What is the best advice you can give to a bodyboard grom trying to get recognized?
Go out, stay humble, have fun, and go BIG.

Any last words of advice? Shout outs?
Live today ‘cause yesterday’s gone and tomorrow may never come…get in early!