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PAULOWNIA COLLECTION
The idea of my Paulownia collection came about with some close friends when they started experimenting with original alaia templates (ancient wooden bodyboards) over the past 12 months. Paulownia is a hardwood timber with excellent strength to weight ratio. The boards offer a slight flex from nose to tail creating extra drive down the line for increased straight line speed. We have been riding multiple shapes and sizes and through our own personal experiences with each template, I began wondering about transforming some of those ideas into a new shape that fused the ancient Paulownia wood designs with my traditional style bodyboard that I have been developing over the past decade.
In theory I was a little apprehensive as to what limitations lay within a much shorter, slightly wider template than that of the alaia boards that had been created thus far. I began shaping my Paulownia boards with alot more questions than answers as to the potential of the board. If one things for sure, I knew I was stepping into an unknown realm with this design. From my first session on my new wave riding vehicle I had experienced a feeling in surfing that seemed to in a way, make me utilise the energy of the wave and focus more on riding different lines instead of conventional wave riding techniques used in bodyboarding. I suppose the experience will be different for each individual and open for their own interpretation, but it seemed like thee were elements of bodysurfing involved, but without any limitations in terms of performing functional bodyboard manouvres. Not to mention its ability in the barrel, which is something I have never experienced on a standard foam bodyboard.
Couple all this with the fact that with the use of timber, we are able to reduce our carbon footprint by creating an all natural board with minimum effects to our surroundings.
For me personally, I am excited to continue to experiment with my Paulownia collection and I look forward to the future with a more open mind set with limitless possibilities. I hope you can come along for the ride and broaden your own experiences in wave riding.
Jarrod Gibson. |
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