It wasn’t just Tristan Roberts’ family who waited anxiously to hear if he would once again be crowned the IBS Men’s World Bodyboarding Champion and consequently, the pride and joy of the entire Overberg.
Well, the wait was worth it, for last week Hermanus’ golden boy was accorded the coveted accolade.
In an emotional video on Facebook, Roberts waited in anticipation to see if he would be the next world champion. Tears flowed and emotions ran high when he realised he was the one.
“This year tested me in so many different ways of stress, even getting injured when hitting the rocks during my last event,” was how he described his recent journey. “I had to push through and fight for what I really wanted. I had to dig deep and go into a place of self-belief I never had to go before.
“If there’s one thing I truly learnt it is that if one truly wants something one has to be prepared to fight for it no matter what. One gets up, shakes off the self pity and keeps moving forward.”
The achievement means much more to Roberts than when he was crowned world champion for the first time.
“The first I won at the last event with the least chance of winning, ranking third. But this year was really special, for I proved to myself that the first one was not just luck; I led from the first event in the rankings and had to carry that with me through the rest of the year, not once falling into second. I made the podium at every event, never done before in the history of our sport. So I definitely think this year will be remembered as one of the best of my career!”
