Catching Up With 4x Drop Knee Body Board World Champion Sammy Morretino

We recently caught up with professional Body Boarder Sammy Morretino. Sammy just won his fourth drop knee bodyboarding world title in a row and is now paving the way for progression in the sport. With a combination of keen water skills and accurate movements, Sammy has taken the bodyboard world by storm. He has plans in store to guide the keiki of Kaua’i in bodyboard clinics as well as organizing some beach cleanups. Read on to catch up with Sammy. 

Sammy you just won your fourth drop knee bodyboarding world title, congratulations how are you feeling?

I'm feeling great! stoked to win my fourth drop knee world title in a row.. it’s been a dream of mine to keep the winning streak going.

You are at the top of the sport. What have you done to get here? 

Practice and dedication.. riding waves as much as I can and surrounding myself with positive people. 

Were you always set on being a professional bodyboarder? 

I wanted to be a professional surfer when I was young but that didn’t work out, so I hopped on a Bodyboard and the rest is history. Stuck on the boogie board since! 

What advice do you have for the next up and coming generation of bodyboarders? Never give up and always try to push yourself and your friends, repetition in maneuvers is key to getting your style and flow the way you want it. Watch lots of videos of guys riding and how their hand placement. 

Do you have any mentors or role models? 

Dave Hubbard has played a big part in my career, helping me with a lot of stuff in my riding and helping me make connections around the world. 

What is your biggest motivation? 

My biggest motivation is to surf the best I can when I’m in the water! Always looking at Andy Irons and what he did when he was competing. Just raw and surfed how he wanted to surf. I'm a bodyboarder but I try to study Andy a lot. He was such a fierce competitor!

Do you have any goals that you’re currently working on? 

I’m trying to organize a few bodyboarding clinics for the keiki on Kauai next year and beach cleanups around the south side of Kauai . 

You are also a talented surfer. Does that help with your bodyboarding and water skills? 

I feel that it’s the other way around. I think my bodyboarding helped my surfing a lot with wave knowledge and knowing where I want to be on the wave. I just love to be in the ocean on any board! 

Where is your favorite wave to bodyboard?

Breneckees beach in poipu it’s where I spread my mother’s ashes so it’s a very special spot for me and I learned how to bodyboard there.

What is your go to board?

I just recently got a pro model! With science bodyboards! The Meerkat launch! So stoked. They are available at most surf shops on Kauai! 

How did you take your bodyboarding to the next level? 

I just practiced everyday and watched every bodyboarding movie I could get my hands on and studied how guys did airs and would go surf right after and try to emulate them in my riding. 

Is training and lifestyle a key factor to your success? 

Honestly I don’t have a training routine. I just surf everyday. That's my training. I do 50 pushups every evening before I go to bed and wake up and go surf first thing in the morning. I try to stretch as much as I can it’s good to stay flexible and have a strong core in bodyboarding

How many times a week do you bodyboard? 

Everyday! 

Aside from the ocean, what other things do you enjoy doing? 

My life literally revolves around the ocean. If I’m not in the ocean I’m usually driving trying to find waves. I enjoy spending time with friends and family and checking swell charts all over the world. 

One random fact about yourself? 

I’ve wanted to be a meteorologist since I was a kid, weather really interests me!