Aden Kleve made waves at the 2024 South African Bodyboarding Championships by winning both the Pro and Drop Knee titles, a rare achievement in the sport. This marked the second time someone has secured both titles, solidifying his reputation as one of South Africa’s premier bodyboarders. Kleve, who has been active in the sport since 1999, continues to dominate in multiple categories, showcasing his versatile riding style…
How did it feel to win both the Pro and Drop Knee titles at the 2024 SA Champs, and how did you manage to balance success in both categories?
Winning both the Pro & Dropknee division has been a lifelong goal for me ever since I started competing. I’ve always loved dropknee and at times rode it more than prone but over the last few years I’ve focused more on my prone to bring it up to a solid level. Managing the balance between the two is hard because it’s totally different disciplines and game plans when hitting the water. It’s also hard on the body as some days you’re surfing 4-6 heats of both prone and dropknee and need to perform for each heat. I must give credit to the guys this year though, they didn’t make it easy which made the win so much sweeter! This year was 20 years since I started competing at SA Champs, which is wild for me to even fathom! I just love bodyboarding so much and have always enjoyed the competitive side of it. It’s truly an honor to hold a double win alongside the only other guy to ever do it in South African bodyboarding history (Sacha Specker)
You’ve been bodyboarding since 1999. How has the sport evolved in South Africa since you first started, and what changes or trends have you noticed on the international and local stage?
Roughly around that time yes, it’s been a wild journey competing and observing the changes. Early 2000’s were insane. The level was so high and the riders were simply ridiculous. There used to be 100 junior riders at times which was bizarre. It took a dip for a while but seems to be heading in a good direction now. It’s great to see the younger generation coming up and frothing out on it. Haven’t noticed many new trends but for sure there’s a handful of really good riders now in SA and I want to encourage them to hit the international scene to learn and grow. I loved traveling and competing overseas, you meet rad boogers from other countries and surf new waves. Bodyboarding seems to still have that incredibly unique feel that everyone is just in it for the love and we all share the stoke of riding our boogie boards. The bodyboarding community is the best!
How do you prepare mentally for big competitions like the SA Champs? Do you have any pre-competition rituals?
Simply relax, if you’re tense you make silly mistakes. Make sure to get good rest and stay hydrated so I don’t get cramps 😂 I also do a lot of visualization, I find this helps a lot with focusing on my goal and how I want to ride during the event. And finally I don’t look at the end goal, I look at each heat individually and take it one heat at a time. Otherwise the pressure will get to you!
South Africa is known for it’s incredible bodyboarding locations’ and you own Bodyboard South Africa which does bodyboard trips around the country. Do you have a favorite wave or spot in South Africa, and what makes it special to you?
In my opinion Cape Town, South Africa is the best bodyboarding location in the world purely for its diversity in waves and conditions. My favorite wave is The Hoek located in Noordhoek. It’s the best and most beautiful wave I’ve ever surfed.
Finally, share with us what it’s like to join the ranks of fatherhood and how stoked are you for the new ripper joining the family?
Absolutely frothing to join fatherhood, super stoked to start this new journey. We’re having a little girl so as soon as she can swim we’re hitting the water😂 Also noticing how many other boogers have kids and getting some good tips too!
“Thank you, Aden, for chatting with us!”
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