Robin Cardoza Interview, Pro bodyboarders

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Miss Robin Ann Cardoza, what bb mag would never tell you...

Name: Robin Ann Cardoza DOB: October 5, 19 something Weight: 103 lb. Height: 5'3" Education: BA in History University of Hawaii Birth Town: Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA

Sponsors: Tropical Rush, Xcel Wetsuits, Churchill Fins Astrological Sign: Libra Best Event Results: finalist and semi finalist 1997-99 Pipeline World Championships and 1st Morey Japan 1996.

Robins a cool bird, and has redefined what it means to be a bodyboard chick. With the looks of a model and weighing just over a hundred pounds she rips huge Pipe. She has a personality that is a combination of Venus and Serena Williams and Veronica from Archi comics. She is the quintinsensetial black sheep of our sport. The girl everyone loves and hates at the same time.

She will tell you straight up what she thinks about you and then when it hurts your feelings defend herself with "I'm only telling the truth". Still when your car's broken she will take you to every junk yard on the island (Oahu) to find the part you need, or when your really down and out line, up some cute surfer boys to cheer you up(I'm not kidding on that last one). She also throws the wildest parties on the North Shore.

I asked her to describe how she got so good, and this is what she said: I started bodyboarding for fun when I was young and kept at it for exercise until you encouraged me to compete about six years ago.

Before then I hung out with surfers and didn't even know that there were tricks besides barrel riding. I then studied the guys mainly for technique. I progressed fast after this and

became determined to get as good as the top girls. I had athletic skills from gymnastics and other sports so I got it quick. I think so much of it has to do with mental determination and confidence that its possible. I always said I was as good as them even when I wasn't. I knew I could do it in a matter of time.

Carol: You have a reputation of being a sort of "wild child", care to expand on that? Robin: I am so not wild. I live life. If most people spent a day with me they would be quite surprised at how tranquil I am.

I work hard and keep to myself most of the time. When I go off though I can go off. I like to have fun. I think people confuse open minded with wild.

Carol: OK..But tell me about that one party you threw on Papailoa Road with PK and Slater?

Robin: That was so much fun. Peter and Kelly called me up one night and suggested it. I had the place on the beach and thought it would be great. They came up with the idea of an 80's theme. I told a few friends and they told a few and it ended up being one of the best and biggest parties the NS has ever seen. I think around 1 am I was trying to get people to leave and they didn't want to go. The cop that came early in the night said if he came back it wouldn't be in uniform. I guess he wanted to party as well. The funny part was that the neighbors never complained to me but they did to my landlord and he wasn't too happy. He would have never known if they didn't' squeal. I cleaned up so good. We rocked that street so hard like never before.

Carol: Last winter you and Emilia da Silva went out on one of the biggest and scariest days at Pipeline, tell me the story. I remember reading in the magazine how some guy bodyboarders were heroes for going out on that day, but with no mention of you and Emilia

Robin: Emilia and I were going out most big days that year. That day was funny and just another for us. We were sitting on the beach while they were deciding to run the HIC surf contest or cancel it. It was like three feet, I had been watching all morning. It was funky and jacking up quick so the surfers that paddled out in heats were having a hard time catching waves and it was coming up quick. Well we heard it was going to be canceled after a certain heat so we went and got our stuff and started down the beach when it was over. By this time it had jacked up to out of control and about 8-10 feet. We were ready and there were two other guy bodyboarders from the mainland on the beach as well. The lifeguards saw us and were like "Robin we don't want you out there". Mick O'Brien was pissed that two little girls were paddling out and the contest was off. He was telling the contest director that he was lucky the news wasn't there filming us going out when the surfers were too scared. It was funny.
Well Emilia and I were like oh shit, its getting big but we can't look like fools and walk back up the beach. So all four of us paddled out. Those guys weren't pro but they were charging the scariest waves. We were all laughing and having a four person session at pipe. It was cool to be out there watching them get the sickest pits. We caught some smaller ones. I had fun and on my last wave I did an off the lip forward spin and got so smashed. When I went up the beach people were so shocked and stoked for me. Emilia had hit the reef on one and messed up her knee again. She had done something to it earlier in the week.
Next thing you know a couple pro guys were paddling out and catching some but by then it had mellowed out. So in the end they got all the glory and us girls got personal satisfaction I guess you could say. If they have to be like that to make themselves look better then whatever to that.

Carol: Tell me what drives you to bodyboard?
Robin: Well I think just having fun and progressing in bodyboarding makes me so happy. I love doing tricks and getting air. It also relieves so much stress and makes me fit. I also want more women and girls to see that it's for us too, not just guys. I want them to know that we can do it and so I feel like I can show them by being out there and doing it.

Carol: What makes bodyboarding such a perfect sport for women?
Robin: I think that everything I have gotten from it makes it perfect. I am so happy I got into the sport. I have traveled the world, become very fit and confident, had a lot of opportunities that I wouldn't have had if I had just stayed on the beach. Bodyboarding is very graceful yet athletic. It has the appeal of gymnastics and figure skating. I think its feminine yet not sissy. If you have seen us top bodyboard girls you can see why it's a great sport for females. We get to ride big waves yet remain girlie and not masculine.

Carol: What do you think about the sponsorship issue with women's bodyboarding? Robin: What sponsorship? I don't want to get into it too heavy because it's an issue that's really hurting everyone. I know that the men have it hard too but they make it harder on us by not letting any bodyboarding companies help us out, it's weird.

The sport has no real money and with the men taking it all its hard. I think that if they helped us out we could help them as well. Our day will come, but I don't know when. I think that we just have to go to school and get a good job and not worry about it for now. That's what I have done. I made a commitment this year at my job and I am not going to be bodyboarding much but maybe next year I can come back to the sport with a better perspective on the whole thing. I wish that one day someone would see the potential that promoting us women has on making the sport grow. Look what women in gymnastics, soccer, figure skating and now tennis has done for those sports. They have made those sports survive in this country. I think us women just have to focus on getting major media exposure and things will come to us. I saw a photo of Neymara Carvalho in Sports Illustrated for Women and that is what we need to get it. More photos and recognition for the sport in the mainstream and not so much in bodyboarding. Once that happens it's all up from there.

Carol: So do you have any last words?
Robin: First I would like to thank everyone that has ever had anything to do with me. I wouldn't be where I am at without them. That includes those who love me and those who hate me. Thanks to those who have supported me in all of my endeavors. And of course my parents for putting me here on the planet. God for giving me strength.

You can email Robin here.

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