World Champion Luna Hardman Opens Up About Stepping Out of Her Mother’s Shadow and Overcoming Major Surgeries on the “IBC Beyond the Tour” Podcast

The latest episode of the IBC Beyond the Tour podcast delivers a raw, deeply personal look into the mind of two-time Junior Women’s World Bodyboarding Champion, Luna Hardman. Hosted by Paul Benco, the episode strips away the glamour of world titles to reveal the grit, sacrifice, and mental resilience required to reach the top of the sport.

Speaking from a wave pool training camp in southern Brazil, the 20 year old phenom discussed a pivotal and terrifying moment in her young career, undergoing double shoulder surgery. Rather than letting the injury derail her, Luna revealed how the forced hiatus ultimately saved her passion for the ocean.

“I think it was even good the surgery because it was a time that I stopped. I looked at my career, I looked at how I was doing my maneuvers, and I had time to reset,” Luna stated on the podcast. “I think sometimes before the surgery I was so in the automatic… And after the surgery I remember how to enjoy every single wave.”

Luna also addressed the unique pressure of forging her own identity while being the daughter of bodyboarding royalty, 5x World Champion Neymara Carvalho. Refusing to live in anyone’s shadow, Luna shared the unseen teenage sacrifices that led to her early success.

“When I won the world title, people was like, it’s because your mom. It’s because you have talent. And I was like, was not just talent, you know. I put everyday hard work,” Hardman explained, recalling how she would wake up at 4:30 AM to surf before school and skip typical teenage parties to chase her dream.

Beyond her personal journey, the episode explores Hardman’s views on the necessity of social media for modern athletes, her strategic training methods in artificial wave pools, and her excitement for upcoming IBC World Tour stops, particularly the Maldives.

Fans, aspiring athletes, and surf enthusiasts can listen to the full, unfiltered conversation on YouTube, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms.

About IBC Beyond the Tour:

IBC Beyond the Tour is a premier podcast series dedicated to diving deep into the mindset, journeys, and untold stories of professional bodyboarders, past and present.

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