Rex Moribe

When I grew up and being the middle child, I felt like I was always in a competition with my brothers. So when I started bodyboarding, it was no different. As soon as I learned how to catch a wave, I started to try and spin and do rolls. My friends were shocked because just riding the wave was never satisfying for me. Only a year and change later I was doing ARS's, I taught it was normal doing those moves coming from Kauai. I mean everyone was killing it back then. After watching Ultimate Wave Riding Vehicles and Eppo Freak show, I became addicted to airs. When everyone was trying to get barreled I was hitting the lip. There was a couple of years where I didn't even get barreled, I just tried to air. I lost many, many contests back then and drained my mom's bank account, however my pride told me its better to have people talk about you then win. You also have to remember back then it was all surfing judges, so it was Spin to win and Flop to win. I was the guy who only would try and do one move, which was trying to air. I mean can you honestly remember who won the amateur contest back in 96? no right. But can you remember somebody killing it back then and lost. I would rather be known as that guy who surfed well and lost. Also I'm the super rare Kauai guy that came out of Kauai not from the Kauai Classic Team. I came from the east side and lets just say my group of friends weren't regarded as the best students in high school and they were much other then me, but these are the guys that actually kept me out of trouble and pushed me to surf better. They were stoked on me beating the Kauai Classic from time to time because they use to win everything and we were always considered the underdogs. The 2nd contest I entered, I won, I will never forget that feeling. I was about 14-15, and I beat everybody, all the regulars and all the favorites. Also I was the only one to do an ARS in the contest, and thats how I won. Which back then even attempting an ARS, you could make an heat. No one knew me in the industry, and all my friends were yelling and screaming, Wailua Boyz, Kealia Boyz. It was the best feeling ever. Seeing my mom's face when I came home was priceless, she could not believe I won. It was a even a better feeling then beating GT at Sandy's a couple of years ago. No one forget's there first. I will always find myself hitting the lip to this day and I will never forget my humble roots of hitchhiking and begging for change to get a bite to eat. Thats just plain gangsta!

I met Jeff around my 3rd contest, however we never hung out or anything because he was always in an older division. I just remember his style being super smooth and technical and winning almost every contest. However back then I admired guys like Eppo, Kainoa, Stewart, Won-Ton, Pretty much everyone who was in Tom Boyles movies. The funny thing about Kauai is that everyone is soo good and you see them everyday, you never see them as like how kids are seeing them now. I mean just for surfers Andy and Bruce Irons, Roy Powers, Dustin Bacara, Even Veliera, Danny Fuller and a bunch of other guys all came out of my high school. I seen these guys everyday in the hall ways, eating the same crap food during lunch, you just never know who's going to be world champ one day. Currently I admire the same names as back in the day and some new school riders like Jeff and Dave, Bud, The Boogie Nation Crew, The Heights Crew, and The Romero's.

Basically working a 9-5, I find myself thinking of different ways to occupy my time when I get off. Either surfing, partying, or even starting a small business. What pushed me is my good friend Koji, owner of 808 Empire. We've been making this sauce for your years and just giving it out to friend and family. And everyday Koji would say when do you want to be rich? Cause you need to start selling this. So finally when my chips were down and job security was questionable I pulled the trigger and started it. Like all small business you start off real small, however our potential for growth is very promising. I'm currently getting all the legal aspects done and just recently rented out a kitchen so I can set up shop. Check us out at www.dasecretsauce.com and you can also order it now by e-mailing us at dasecretsauce@gmail.com we take paypal. Only 5 dollars a bottle plus shipping. Its baby steps, but it's still steps forward in the right direction.

My signature board is on its way to Hawaii. We just made the order today. In this batch will be my model, Kainoa Lum (bondy), and Kona's model. I'm super amped to get the boards and hope the Hawaii kids fall in love with it too. Manta hasn't had a strong force in years and I just hope the kids buy the boards and use it for years. Now days you buy a board and it breaks in like 3 months. Manta has always been known for boards that are near indestructible. So with the economy these days, why not buy a board that is going to last more then 3 months. Also what sets my board apart is I'm a short guy that made a small board. There is a ton of 40" models from other pro riders, however those boards are downsized and guess-estimated. I'm a short guy that made a smaller board. So to all the Hawaii kids, be on the look out for it, or ask your local surf shop for the board. Its called the "Wreckx".

Me and My special lady ended recently. I tend to date girls from different states and just recently different countries. My last girl was from Bulgaria and the girl before her was Brazilian. Now I'm a guy with no skillz, honestly. I think girls eventually like me, because what you see is what you get. I'm always honest and my personality doesn't change around a girl. Some guys will become more nice around girls and when with the guys they become some new animal. I'm just an animal. So the secret is just be yourself, girls like that. And just be passionate about something, whether its life, bodyboarding, surfing, business. Nothing makes a girl weak in knees then a guy with goals. And for all the ladies that are reading, don't be shy, No really don't be, find me on the net, its not hard. I'm waiting :)

Aloha to me means Welcome and Manners. Walking to a park by yourself and some random family telling you to come eat at there BBQ. Thats Aloha! From time to time I will still hear stories from random friends who were at some BBQ and knew no one. Stories like that brings a smile to my face. Like all generations, we all complain on how things are not the same like before. I'm the same way, however I'm trying to see the positive sides of everything these days. Especially with the economy and people losing there jobs. However the funny thing about the economy now is that you see a lot of Aloha Spirit. People helping one another, bringing food, donating clothes, etc etc. Then you have the flip side where people steal and turn to drugs. You just have to stay on the good side. Deep down inside everyone has a little bit of Aloha. Even Tony Montana couldn't kill women and children. Everyone has a soft side or some kind of Aloha in them. To me my fantasy is everyone taking pride of Hawaii and showing the aloha spirit. Everyone says they have pride and love Hawaii, then one minute later I see them trowing there Heineken bottle on the ground. Tisk Tisk.

I can't wait to hit that lip and I wonder who is out. Hi Hubbards, Hi Skip, Hi Romero's, Hi Da Hammah, Hi Heights, Hi Boogie Nation, Hi people who don't belong here, but I'll smile because you are stabilizing the Hawaii economy. AND, I hope someone took a photo or video of that air, because my tummy and neck hurts.

The thing about bodyboarding is, it is what ever we make it to be. Meaning we have all control of our sport. There is no big coperation to guide us or help us. No quicksilver, billabong, etc etc. Its up to us, you to grow the sport. So where do I see it going, hopefully forward. I mean where else can we go, we can get worse, can we? I guess we can. But yea hopefully forward. With new companies like RXYM and Magazines and Videos, thats are way forward. When an opportunity presents itself jump on it. You don't want to miss the train. That being said, if a big coperation does get brave one day and wants to sponsor someone, take it. If Nike or Gatorade or whatever asked me today to ride for them, I would jump on that so fast, and I wouldn't look back. So just like Dory in Finding Nemo sang "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim. " New moves?! When I was 16 I was trying to do those invert reverses, no joke. I was trying variation front flips. My body was so limber back then, however like many kids back then we couldn't afford a video camera so they only lay in my memory. So with that I hope I see new moves, actually when I took my break of like 8 years, I couldn't believe there were no new moves. Besides Jeff of course. But honestly not to be rude, but when I got out of the industry and came back I expected a lot of new moves. Nope same ole inverts, backflips, etc etc. Don't get me wrong those are super sick, but yea I had high expectations for new moves. Only recently have we starting seeing different variations and things. If you follow surfing almost ever year there is some kind of new move or big move and we as bodyboarder's need to start doing new moves and bigger and cleaner moves just to progress our sport. Because really the ARS was invented in like 94 or something, its time for something cool like that. Of course Jeff is the exception because he does moves only he can do, like the rewind, air hub, 720. etc etc. My goal this year was to land at least one new move, I have like 2 or 3 cooking in my brain. I just need the right wave to try and do it. So yea please people for our sport for your high, try a new move. It will make everyone happy not just me.

Great question and everyone reading should take it back to elementary and set goals. I do it ever year and almost ever year I accomplish them. So here I go... Personal Life: (Not much this year because my passion is going into my small business.) Keep my job, Stabilize and Market Da Secret Sauce, Write a Script, Write a Book and Get Rich or Die Trying. Some people will ask or question get rich or die trying like 50 cent said. But ask the homeless family that was once middle class and they will all say the same. Yea I would like to be rich. However the difference for me is the feeling of success of becoming rich then just having money. And as you can tell from this interview my other passion is writing. I love writing, don't ask me why I just do, hence write a script and book. I already wrote 2 scripts, why not another one this year. Bodyboarding: USBA Sandy's Contest, Maybe a Cali event. And new moves.