Guilherme Tâmega

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Tâmega is a six-time world bodyboarding champion. His eminence in the sport is only threatened by Mike Stewart who is unanimously (even by Tâmega himself) praised as the king of the sport, due to his dominance on the bodyboarding scene in the earlier days of the sport, and also for his contributions in making bodyboarding what it is today.

Tamega is the only man to win three times in a row the world's most famous bodyboarding event, the Shark Island Challenge, which contains one of the most dangerous waves in the world. He is also a very successful competitor in the international bodyboarding scene after the creation of the World Tour, which was established in 1994 to promote a recognized world champion. Before the establishment of the World Super Tour there was no recognizable world title, although Mike Stewart's achievements in this period earned him the deserved status of a "living legend". Tâmega is known in the sport scene as the "contest machine" due to his relentless pursuit of victory.

In 2003 and 2004 he saw the world title being taken by two-time world champion Damian King, although he managed to end as vice-champion.

[edit] Tâmega's Biography

He was born in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, and learned about bodyboarding in the Posto 5 of Copacabana beach, near his house.

[edit] Tâmega's Timeline

1985 – Was given his first bodyboard, and went to his first championship finals.
1986 – Was already a fierce competitor and had a good set of sponsors (bodyboarding was "the sport" of fashion in Brazil in 1986).
1987 – Won praise from the specialized Brazilian media; speculation that he could be a future world champion.
1988 – First Hawaiian winter; Brazilian amateur champion.
1989 – Went pro and took part in his first international final in Australia. First trip to Bali and its tubes. Won the Brazilian national tour for the first time.
1990 – Broke his leg while skateboarding, keeping him away from bodyboarding for five months. Started to commercialize his own board brand.
1991 – First time at the famous pipe event, went to the finals. Two-time Brazilian pro champion.
1992 – Third place at the pipe event. Three-time Brazilian champion.
1993 – Second place at the pipe event. First international sponsoring deal with Wave Rebel. Four-time national champion.
1994 – World champion at the pipe event in sick, 12 to 15 feet waves. Five-time national champion.
1995 – Won the first event of the first world tour ever (GOB - Global Organization of Bodyboarders) and went on to won the world title.
1996 – Three-time world champion. He led the tour from the beginning and was also the American (North American) champion and the ISA Surfing Games champion.
1997 – Four-time world champion. Pan-American champion. Vice-champion at the pipe event
1998 – Second place at the world tour. Lost by 72 points to a very young Andre Botha.
1999 – Second place at the world tour again (to Andre Botha).
2000 – Fifth place at the world tour (his worst ranking position ever). Won the ISA again. Six-time national champion. His friend, Paulo Barcellos, won the world title.
2001 – Won both world tours (GQT and GST). Won the pipe event.
2002 - Six-time world champion. Won the Human Shark Island Challenge for the first time.
2003 - Lost the world title to Damian King. Won the Human Shark Island Challenge for the second time.
2004 - Lost the world title to Damian King again in the final of the last event. Won the Human Shark Island Challenge for the third time in a row. Also met up and coming grom Jono Cain at Shark Island Challenge.