It’s time to speculate PLC’s move to another brand.

Honestly, Pierre-Louis Costes is one of a kind. He is outstanding. For sure one of the best bodyboarders in the world we’ve ever seen. Amazing technique. Unique approach. Superior creativity. Words are not enough to describe what he does sometimes on the waves.

The Frenchman has two world titles (2011, 2016) and the second most wins registered on the World Tour – a total of 18: Búzios Brazil 2010; Chilca Peru 2010; Encanto Pro Puerto Rico 2011; Azores Portugal 2011; Sintra Portugal 2012, 2015 and 2022; Fronton Canary Islands 2012 and 2021; Antofagasta Chile 2013; Pipe Hawaii 2016 and 2019; Nazaré Portugal 2016; Arica Chile 2017, 2019 and 2023; Kiama Australia 2019; and Maldives 2023.

The public announcement of moving to Morey Bodyboards, in the last days of February, caught everyone off guard. “The feeling of “taking a leap of faith into the unknown“ is a special one and I am currently feeling that way again”, he wrote.

Pierre joined the Pride Bodyboards team in 2011, 13 years ago, and right on the first year of the partnership PLC conquered the first world title of his career (at age 21). Plus, together they built a solid and healthy image through the years. Before he rode for the Versus Project.

At Pride he took advantage of superior and up-to-date communication, because if you haven’t noticed, the French brand is probably the best bodyboarding company today in the Marketing department. They have invested in a solid pro team, they undertake trips, they invest in film projects, they support competitions and the boog media, and they also have a cool R&D in order to develop their own collection and the bodyboard market in general.

“With Pride, I achieved everything that I only could have dreamed of”, said Pierre on the farewell post, and that’s quite right.

Looking at Morey Bodyboards, on the other hand, which has a little more than 5k followers on Instagram (now numbers can go up with PLC’s help), we really don’t see anything of what was mentioned before. It doesn’t even exist yet, a Pierre’s pro-model signature.

For at least the last 30 years the Morey brand has been dormant. The international athletes team is unknown. Let us remind you there was a time when Paul Roach, Jay Reale, Keith Sasaki, Spencer Skipper, Lanson Ronquilio, Steve Mackenzie and even Mike Stewart were the top faces of the American manufacturer. Well, now they have Pierre….

In Europe, a few years ago, the brand got a new boost by Legacy SAS crew. Under licensing, the French company, created by three friends, crafted a limited bodyboard collection built of iconic models in order to celebrate bodyboarding’s 50th anniversary. The boards have a modern twist, drawing inspiration from the iconic 90s styles. A really cool thing.

Beach gossip says Pierre Costes had an annual budget with Pride around 80k euros. This would be the amount the French Prince would receive as a salary to represent the brand and to run the entire world tour. Take notice this is pure speculation and 100% NOT confirmed.

The Vert team wishes the best to Pierre and his new sponsor deal, hoping he’s still able to living the dream, but we need to go back to the beginning and ask to our readers:

At age 34, after all that has been said above, do you reckon this was a smart move?

Photography by MTN and André Carvalho