One of the smoothest surfers in the Hot 100, Alex Smith just might be the next big thing out of the Garden Island. Older brother to the ever-charasmatic Koa Smith, Alex has become a quiet professional, opting to let his surfing speak for itself. Refined and coached by Ben Aipa, Alex has torn the competitive scene apart in 2007 by winning the Rip Curl Grom Search at Salt Creek and finishing third in the Open Men’s division and second in the Explorer Junior’s division. In the future, Alex is planning on refining his game even further by upping the ante both in and out of the water. “I want to keep surfing as much as possible, but I’m also doing this thing called CHEK. It’s how Fanning trains and it’s pretty cool. They measure out all your body and create a program dedicated to fixing your weak points. I’m in the first phase of it right now and I’m pretty into it,” says Alex.