Meet The Team
I hand-pick my coaching team and have many candidates enquire for positions every year. Our standards are sky-high, and these are constantly maintained, due to our instructors possessing a great combination of personal bodyboarding experience, international surf travel experience, water safety training and client care. We’re a young, dynamic team and we’re immensely proud of our constant excellent Trip Advisor rating.
Rob Barber
I grew up in Newquay, Cornwall, and began bodyboarding as soon as I could swim. The last 30 years have seen me chasing swells, competition titles, magazine covers and dream waves all over the world. I’ve been chosen to represent England and Britain on many occasions and have been fortunate to travel right across the globe.
I’m a self taught bodyboarder who learned the hard way, through trial and error, by scouring through magazine articles and hounding my peers for tips. Consequently, over the years I’ve been able to create training plans that offer simple techniques to make bodyboarding easier. They minimise physical effort and maximise the use of the oceans power. I’ve found that this quickly increases a rider’s wave count, reduces the number of wasted waves and sky rockets the enjoyment of each session. And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about!
I love teaching people to bodyboard and sharing the buzz they get from their achievements. I launched the first bodyboarding school in Europe in 1997 and, as a result, me and my team have coached over 10,000 bodyboarders of all abilities and spent thousands of hours with complete novice bodyboarders, intermediate riders and coached top level shredders all over the world.
As well as owning Rob Barber’s Bodyboarding School, Rob Barber’s Bodyboard Coaching Holidays and the Newquay Activity Centre, I manage the English Surfing Federation Surf School (ESF) and own the Bodyboard-Depot. In short, with all our combined experience and knowledge you could call us a one stop entity when it comes to bodyboarding. So come along, meet us and get yourselves in the water; once addicted you’ll never look back unless, of course, you’re looking for a wave.
Rob Barber Bodyboarding Bio
Experience Bodyboarding since 1988
Qualifications Level 4 Surf GB/ Level 2 ISA coach and SLSA Surf Coach Lifeguard
Sponsors Core Bodyboards, The Bodyboard-Depot
Home Break Tolcarne Wedge, Newquay
Fave Breaks Uluwatu – Indonesia, Secret spot – Morocco and Tolcarne Wedge, England
Coaching
- Owner of the Newquay Activity Centre delivering surfing, bodyboarding and coasteering experiences to over 10,000 people per year
- Coached the British team at the World Surfing Games in Portugal 1998, Brazil 2000, South Africa 2002, Ecuador 2004, California 2006
- Coached the English team at the European Champs in France 2000
- Coached/managed the English Junior team in France 1999 and 2002
- Head coach of the English Surfing Federation surf school since 1998
- Director of Rob Barbers School of Bodyboarding since 97
Contests
- Ranked number two in British national ratings, year end 2014
- Ranked number three in British national ratings, year end 2013
- Eighth place at the European Championships in Ireland (2012)
- Senior British National Champion (2010, 2011 and 2014)
- British Bodyboard Club Championship Winner (2000)
- British Bodyboarding Cup Champion (1999)
- Virgin Cola Surf Tour Winner (1998)
- 22nd in World Champs at Pipeline in Hawaii (1995) Highest ranked European in World Professional ratings
- Winner of the ThreeSixty Bodyboarders Readers Opinion Poll of the UK’s best riders (1995, 1996 and 1997)
- Threesixty Series Winner (1994)
- Three times captain of Bodyboard-Depot team to win British bodyboard Club Tag team championships (undisputed champions!)
- Senior British Champion 2014
- Ranked number two in British national ratings, year end 2014
- Ranked number two in the British Masters ratings, year end 2014
Bodyboarding Credentials
- Developed my own line of Core Bodyboards specifically designed for the UK market
- Created The Bodyboard Manual which is an advice guide covering all things Bodyboarding (I’ve been the editor of all five editions and have loved every minute of writing advice about all aspects of the sport)
- Assistant Editor of the Bodyboard Travel Guide
Mave Davies
Introduction:
I have been a teacher for nine years and a keen bodyboarder for nineteen. Coaching at Bodyboard-Holidays has given me the unique opportunity to combine the vocation I so thoroughly enjoy with my longstanding passion for the boogie. I look forward to meeting new faces, coaching and sharing the hidden gems of Portugal.
Experience:
I have been riding a bodyboard since 1996. In this time, my pursuit of heavy, hollow waves has seen me live in Southern France, Northern Spain, Australia, Italy and Portugal. I have also spent extended periods surfing and travelling in Indonesia, Ireland, Canary Islands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Hawaii and Sri Lanka.
Qualifications:
SLGB Beach Lifeguard
Home break:
Carcavelos, Portugal
Fave breaks:
Supertubos, Nazare, La Graviere, La Piste, Mundaka, D-bah, and a few secret wedges and slabs here in Portugal.
Coaching:
Recently qualified
Contests:
They’re not my cup of tea, but I was invited to participate in the Sintra Pro 2010, the Refresh DK challenge in Supertubos 2013, and the Portuguese Dropknee tour 2014/15.
Aaron Parsons
Experience:
I graduated with my photography degree in 2010 and have since built up a wealth of experience within the medium. From surf and bodyboard photography to weddings my portfolio has become extremely eclectic. I have been photographing and filming bodyboarding for four years mainly in Newquay but have also been lucky enough to be taken on one of the bodyboard holidays to Morocco to capture its amazing waves and culture.
Qualifications:
ATRiuM School of Creative & Cultural Industries – University of Glamorgan – 2007 – 2010
Bachelor of Arts in Photography (2:1), University of Glamorgan.
Sponsor:
The Bodyboard-Depot
Home Break:
Fistral Beach, Cornwall
Fave Break:
Boilers, Morocco
Top Three Photography Moments So Far:
1. The winter 2014 storms in Cornwall. Mammoth swells and jaw dropping waves meant for some fantastic photo opportunities!
2. Traveling to New Zealand. The landscape and wildlife there is quite literally out of this world.
3. Glastonbury Festival. Photographing some of my favourite stars in their element was quite unforgettable.
For examples of Aarons work please view his website.