body boarding quickly grew in international popularity, and arrived in brazil in the 1980s. the crowded beaches of rio de janeiro rapidly welcomed the sport and eventually it became a quintessential carioca activity.

in april 1984 marcus cal kung, along with several friends, founded the first association for body boarding officially registered in the world - shortly there after international competitions and tours were taking place - due to the brazilian background of enthusiastic following in bodyboarding, the greatest generation in the sport arose in the late 1990s to the early 2000s.