Jimmy Hutaff is Maui Bodyboarding.

Hutaff is from Waiehu on the island of Maui. He has been bodyboarding for 24 years and has a great outlook on life and the sport of bodyboarding.

He is sponsored by T&C Bodyboards, Kicks Fins, Alternative Surf, Rocket Boyz Racing and Mr. Pineapple.

He has traveled to Mexico, Fiji, Polynesia, Cook Island and all over the United States and the Hawaiian Islands.

He is from Maui, so fittingly he won the 2005 Maui Pro drop-knee event.

“I am stoked to win the contest. It feels really good surfing contests because they never really happen here (Maui). I always come close and get second and this time I won. It is just such a good feeling.”

“The finals were really good to surf. Lots of backside and some frontside, backside floaters and everything.”

The competition was tough. He was up against the likes of and David Hubbard, Brandon Foster, Leroy Kaiwi, Cody Kauhuea, Brandon Foster and the rest of the pros.

“They were killing it,” Hutaff said.

Although he didn’t win a contest going into the Maui Pro he still believed he could win it.

“I always like to think going into a contest I have a chance to win, otherwise I wouldn’t enter it. Anybody can win on anyday and anything can happen though and I came out on top.”

He won $500 and a trophy.

“It is the biggest trophy I have ever seen. I have to put it on my floor because it’s the only place it fits. It has to be around five feet.”

Winning the contest has made him want to help more of the Maui up and comers.

“The contest has helped me encourage other local guys to keep working on their riding. To get off the island and try to make a name for themselves.”

He has a positive outlook for bodyboarding, which is very refreshing.

“I think it (bodyboarding) is climbing. I’m not one to be negative, but bodyboarding is getting better especially with riders owning companies and more potential money in advertising. The scene in Hawaii is really awesome and the same with Australia. I think it is the mainland that is holding it back.”

In Hawaii the pro-bodyboarding scene is great. The IBA is making it even better because it invites all of the great riders and leaves it open for new riders, he said.

“The events are only gonna get better.”

He wouldn’t mind seeing bodyboarding getting the same exposure as surfing and he can see it happening.

“That would be awesome and it will happen only in time. Everyone needs to be more positive and focus on how sick bodyboarding is and what is happening not what happened.”

In the future he sees bodyboarding parallel skateboarding.

“Riders like Tony Hawk started owning companies and focusing on the riders and look what happened. With Mike Stewart and other riders taking over bodyboarding will follow the path of skateboarding and it will get huge.”

Jimmy truly loves bodyboarding and 10-years down the road he sees himself still involved in promoting bodyboarding and staying true to what he loves.

“You can’t sell out and we must hold true to our roots.”