Liam Lucas is one of the new names in Australian bodyboarding that has been making waves. He is one of the best free-riders, showcasing a flawless and classic Australian style. Here’s what he had to say.

Top photo by Sam Venn | Other photos by Jay Maguire & Pride Bodyboards

First of all, please make a self introduction, and inform us about age, how many years riding a boog and what part of Australia are you from?

Liam Lucas: Hey there! My name is Liam Lucas and I am 23 years old from Sydney, Australia. I originally started on a surfboard at a young age but after a few years I saw my brother on the bodyboard and it looked super fun. So I ditched the surfboard and started bodyboarding, I was instantly hooked. I’ve been bodyboarding now for about 12 years.

“Good bodyboarding to me comes from drawing clean lines and tight explosive booging”

Australia has always been a fantastic powerhouse in the sport. Can you update us on what the bodyboard movement is like these days? Still strong as it was a decade ago?

LL: The bodyboard scene in Australia at the moment is still strong but the focus has changed. It has definitely moved towards free surfing due to a lack of high quality waves in contests, but luckily this Winter we have the Shark Island Challenge coming back on the scene. There may not be as many next generation bodyboarders as a decade ago, but there is some potential in a couple groms in particular Anthony Miller. Keep your eyes peeled for this grom in the coming years.

“I ditched the surfboard and started bodyboarding, I was instantly hooked”

Which spots or kind of waves you chase for?

LL: In Australia we are very spoiled for waves. We literally have a coastline with hundreds of reefs and beach breaks. So I’m constantly surfing all types of waves from slabs to beach breaks. I mostly chase waves on the South coast with my favourite spots being Aussie pipe, Nuggan and Depot.

The lines you present exudes the typical Aussie style, always carrying a lot of flow and technique. How important is it for you to show good bodyboarding?

LL: My personal preference for style is driven from flow. Good bodyboarding to me comes from drawing clean lines and tight explosive booging.

“We literally have a coastline with hundreds of reefs and beach breaks”

Who are your biggest influences in bodyboarding through the years? And why?

LL: My biggest influences would be Alex Bunting, Sam Bennett, Thomas Robinson and Jono Bruce. I grew up in an era my mates call the ‘Zion era’. Zion was coming out with the best films (Home Brew, Flux, etc) that included all my favourite riders. I found that all the riders on the team had that classic Aussie style and flow that I could watch for hours.

You’re one of Pride’s most recent additions to the team and you already have a signature board model (The Obsessor) that did pretty damn well in the European market. How important was it for you to have your own shape, a board suited to your nuances and demands?

LL: I couldn’t be more stoked to be riding for the Pride Bodyboards team. It is super important for myself to be designing my own boards, as most boards on the market are very different to my shape. My ‘Obsessor’ board model has a big wide point, lots of curve and a narrow tail for smooth spin rotations and an all round pocket board.

“The bodyboard scene in Australia at the moment is still strong but the focus has changed”

One last question regarding your future plans/projects or where do you see yourself in 5 years?

LL: In 5 years I see myself chasing bigger ramps and slabs all around the world and, who knows, maybe I could be chasing the world tour.