It’s been a long time coming for Josh Burguete-Kirkman.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 33 year old former Tuncurry resident has rejoined the Association of Professional Bodyboarding tour (APB) after 10 years away.
Josh left the tour at 23 to focus on completing university and to build a life outside of the sport.
He said his participation in the 2016 Jeff Wilcox Memorial gave him “the bug again" to compete after placing second in the over 30s division.
He made his official return to the tour at the Itacoatiara Pro in Brazil in June.
He said it was difficult to excel due to surf conditions, with the waves closing out fast on the shore.
He followed it up at the Arica Chilean Challenge where he placed ninth.
“At the Arica event, I believe I excelled because it came down to the first principles of riding a wave.
“Doing a solid bottom turn, holding your rail in a large barrel, this is what you need to do to win each heat in waves that size.
After so many years away, these first principles were still sound," Josh said.
Josh admitted that he could only complete minimal practice leading up to his return. He maintained a focus on fitness by swimming laps with a kick-board near his home in Sweden.
He worked on his breathing and calf muscles as well.
He credited Forster’s Mick Schumann for helping him prepare mentally for his return to the tour and his wife for encouraging him to give professional bodyboarding another chance.
Josh is expected to compete in tour events in Portugal, Norway and Spain in the coming months.
His current goal is to produce good results in these events and finish in the top 20 rankings and secure seeding for next year’s tour.
He balances his bodyboarding commitments with work in communications for clean technology and sustainability and has been married for nearly six years.
See Josh in action on Instagram @JS_Burguete_Kirkman.