Patrick Trefz's recently released book, Thread, ties surfers to natural patterns.

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This summer, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker and creator of the classic surf film The Endless Summer will be honored with a place in the Surfers’ Hall of Fame in Huntington Beach, along with Jeff Hakman, Joey Buran and Pat O’Connell, also 2009 Hall of Fame inductees.

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By Jeff Mull

Amid an eclectic mix of the most prodigiously talented junior surfers the world has ever seen stands 16-year-old Hawaiian Keanu Asing. With his mix of power, finesse, and progression, Keanu is the tip of the spear and is comfortably perched at the threshold of surfing’s next big talent boom, ready to lay waste to the old standard and usher himself and his counterparts into surfing’s history. Forget the Momentum Generation and their ilk because what Keanu and his cohorts will bring to the game will out shadow anything we’ve ever seen.

Earlier today, Keanu added yet another notch in his belt as he claimed the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure Grade-4 event at Huntington Beach in the most lackluster of conditions.

Following his win monumental win, we sat down with Keanu who, despite having been on an unparalleled winning binge this year, remained his humble self.

You’re having a pretty ridiculous year so far. It seems like you’ve won just about every major event you’ve entered. Now with this win scratched off your list, you’re officially scaring your competition. Can you talk a little bit about your win today in Huntington?

Keanu Asing: [laughs] Yeah, it’s been a really good year for me so far. The conditions today for the contest were pretty much horrible. It was tough and it was barely breaking out there, but I got a couple of scores.

How was the competition for your final?

K.A.: The guys I surfed against were so good. They’re all so talented and are such good surfers. It was tough out there for sure. Those guys are just really, really good and I’m glad I won.

Can you talk about the board you rode for the final?

Yeah, for sure. I was actually riding the same board that I won on in Ecuador for the World Games. I think it’s safe to say that it’s a magic board.

You’ve won your fair share of contests this year. Do you ever get used to the feeling of winning and being carried up the beach?

K.A.: No, not really. At least I don’t. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that feeling…having your friends carry you up the beach. I mean, today, after I won, Rainos [Hayes] Matty [Costa] and Zeke all carried me up the beach. It’s just a great experience.

So what’s next for you?

Well, first we’re gonna go eat some pizza at a place in Newport and then we’re gonna go check out some Go-Karts…I’m pretty psyched.


Ed note: In the past year or so, Keanu Asing has won the following events:


NSSA National Championships, July 2008, Lower Trestles CA, Explorer Boys National Champion

Billabong Pro Junior, August 2008, Canguu, Bali, Event Champion

USA Championships, August 2008, Huntington Beach, CA, Boys Under 16 Champion

USA Championships, August 2008, Huntington Beach, CA, Boys Under 18 Champion

Haleiwa International Open, January 2009, Winner and 3x Defending Champion

NSSA Hawaii Contest, March 2009, Haleiwa, HI, Triple Victory: 1st Place in Open
Men’s, Open Jrs, and Explorer Juniors

NSSA Hawaii Regional Championships, March 2009, Kewalo Basin, HI, Double Victory: 1st Place in Open Men’s and Open JuniorsNSSA Hawaii Conference Champion, Open Juniors

ISA World Surfing Championships, April 2009, Ecuador, World Champion in Boys 16 & Under

Nike Pier Pressure Grade 4, June, 2009, event champ

Kolohe Andino raises the bar with several titles at the 2009 NSSA National Championships.

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Mick Fanning continued to terrorize the worlds best surfers this morning at the 2009 Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro, employing his lightning-fast forehand approach to navigate the thumping beach breaks.

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Kauai's Alex and Koa Smith drop by SURFER'S In The Lineup to discuss their 2009 NSSA National Title hopes as well as future goals. Surf footage provided by Rip Curl.

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The Surfing Heritage Foundation will be presenting some of the icons of surf photography in the last of its three-part series of the Light Table Sessions this Friday, June 26. Grant Ellis, photo editor of Surfer magazine, will share some of the images that have earned Surfer the reputation as one of the leading surf magazines worldwide.

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This year fifty canine contestants put their best paw forward at the fourth annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort surf-dog competition.

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By Jeff Mull

Situated at one of surfing’s most fabled arenas, the world’s top junior surfers are set to do battle at the highest-rated event in North America this season come June 28 at the ultra prestigious Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure in Huntington Beach, CA presented by Jack’s. Following directly on the heels of the NSSA Nationals, expect to see some of the most progressive and mind-numbing surfing around when the first heats hit the water. Judging from what we’ve seen thus far in the Junior circuit, these kids mean business and they’re pushing the level of performance further into the stratosphere with every heat surfed.

As the fourth stop on the ASP North America Pro Junior series, you can bet that the level of competition at the Pier Pressure will be as cutthroat as anything we’ve ever seen as the young surfers jockey for the coveted ratings points that follow a strong showing at the event. At the conclusion of the North American Pro Junior series, the top three finishers will earn a spot at the World Junior Championships.

With the drama set to unfold in the coming days, we thought we’d set you wise and give you a few standouts to keep your eye on at the event:

Nat Young:
You could search the world over and you’d have a heck of a time finding a junior surfer more fluid, focused, and competitively savvy than Santa Cruz’s Nat Young. This just seems to be Nat’s year as the Californian has found feats of glory time and again when wearing a singlet. May it be a huge scalp at the Coldwater Classic in front of his hometown in Santa Cruz last year or his recent victory at the Arnette Pro Junior in Newport last month, Nat’s on a run—make that an all-out sprint—competitively. And in this sport, that counts for a lot. Look for Nat to whip heads and turns alike when he enters the water in Huntington. Be warned, this kid is as legit as they come.

Kai Barger
Perhaps the only other competitor with a contest record that can parallel Nat Young is Maui’s Kai Barger. As the current World Junior Champion and recent winner of the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro earlier this year, Kai is surfing leagues beyond his teenage years. Although Kai has proven himself exceptionally explosive and dynamic on his forehand, look for the Hawaiian to utilize his near-flawless backhand approach on the rights off the pier as you’re sure to see him go beyond vert on a number of occasions. If the rights are doing their thing during Kai’s heat, he’ll be close to imposible to defeat. Think of a Rob Machado approach but with 30 pounds of power behind every turn and you’ve got yourself a fairly accurate idea of what Kai’s capable of doing in the lineup.

Stay tuned to Surfermag.com and SurferHot100.com as we bring you the action from the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure presented by Jack’s

To give you the inside track, we caught up with Ace Buchan, a man gunning for his own grand prize in an ASP World Title, to find out his picks for the 2009 Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro.

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By Jeff Mull

At the tip of the modern Hawaiian youth movement stands Honolulu’s Zeke Lau. Tall, not a strand of hair on his head, and with a pension for progression, Zeke is one of the most prominent surfers under 20 today. He’s been binging lately, feeding himself a substantial amount of contest scalps and media coverage, putting his name on the path to upward mobility and junior stardom. In the wake of his current stranglehold on his teenage counterparts, we sat down with Zeke to get his take on why Carissa Moore scares him and his ritualistic head-shaving.

Can you describe yourself to me in seven words?

Yeah, [laughs] I think I can. Ummmm:

1. Cool
2. Hawaiian
3. Amping
4. Funny
5. Eggy
6. Tall
7. Bald


So you’re tall, Hawaiian, bald, and we know you rip, but how did it all start with you?

When I was little my dad saw that I just enjoyed the water so much and then he just started taking me to the beach every day when I was like 3 years old. Then that resulted in bringing the board down to the beach. Once I had that we would just play on the board and stuff then it just went from there.

You’ve been winning a lot lately and you were just crowned King of the Groms over in Honolulu. To be blunt: Can you be beaten?

[Laughs] Well it feels pretty good I guess! That’s actually the only reason I compete. Just to feel this sense of accomplishment. It just feels so good to me to win…but I think that I could be beaten for sure. Every day is a different day and I’ve been just getting lucky.

We heard that you shave your head because you bet someone that you wouldn’t grow your hair out until you won nationals. Any truth there?

Yeah that’s true. Me and my dad set this bet up a long time ago. It goes back to when I was a mini grom and it still never happened! So that’s why I shave my head.

If you win Nationals are you planning on growing a fro?

Oh yeah it’s growing out big time…

You live up at Kamehameha School on Oahu. Can you talk a little bit about that school?

Yeah, I live up at Kamehameha. I’ve lived there my whole life and now I go to school there so I would say that it’s pretty unique. This school is pretty different from any other school because they only accept kids that are of Hawaiian ancestry.

So you’ve had a lot of ups lately, most notable when you were crowned the King of the Groms earlier this month. On the other end of the spectrum, what’s the worst experience you’ve ever had surfing?

Probably surfing at Rocky Point with a bunch of Coco Ho’s Brazilian friends. That was pretty bad.

On a personal note, do you remember the last time you were scared surfing?

Probably the last time I had Carissa Moore in my heat at one of the Junior Pros at home in Hawaii. I was stressing but I won that heat!

It's officially summer. That means south swell for California. Check out what the season dragged in to Lowers, Salt Creek, and all your favorite Southern California hot spots.

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Check out "The Rookie" a surfboard developed by Al Merrick and Channel Islands for the brothers Gudauskas.

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Last night in Hollywood, stars of the surf world came out to support Billabong’s 3rd Annual Design for Humanity charity party.

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By Jeff Mull

It’s no secret that the road to the World Tour is littered with the discarded hopes and broken dreams of hundreds, if not thousands, of phenomenally talented juniors. For the 45 surfers comfortably standing at the vanguard of competitive surfing, there are mountains of young talented individuals that, for some reason or another, never made the jump into the VIP room and the World Tour.

If there is one truth in competitive surfing, it is that success is by no means guaranteed. Does the name Phillip Waters ring a bell to anyone? In an effort to retain the dream for many of the up-and-coming crop of young professionals, the powers that be recently arranged an ad-hoc mentorship between South African gargantuan Jordy Smith and Hawaii’s latest golden child Keanu Asing while the pair crashed together for the Billabong Pro Tahiti this past May.

The idea was simple: Keanu was to shadow Jordy and, hopefully, pick up a better understanding of what living a life on the World Tour was all about. And with any luck, Keanu could pick up a few pointers here and there from Jordy himself.

As a young prodigy no more than a few years removed from Keanu Asing’s current situation, Jordy was a perfect cast for the roll of mentor. As someone who has seen what’s it like to be a hot commodity in the surf world and knows all too well the role that industry hype and the never-blinking media eye can play in the development of a young surfer, Jordy was steeped in the rituals of proper upstart protocol.

Keanu, a surfer on the cusp of being labeled the “Next Big Thing” is at a point in his career where the possibilities seem endless. He’s 16, has won nearly every event on offer, and from all standpoints is poised for greatness. If he wants it, an illustrious career is there for the taking, given that he makes all the right moves. But as was aforementioned, Keanu is by no means the first upstart to head down this path, and as we’ve all seen play out time and again, the end result isn’t always pretty for those coined the “Next Big Thing.”

Once settled in Tahiti, whether it be roaming around the point or watching the event unfold from the channel, you’d be hard-pressed to see a glimmer of Jordy without seeing Keanu right there beside him, quietly soaking in the ins and outs of tour life. They were bound at the hip. According to Keanu, his time spent running with Jordy in Tahiti was an eye-opening experience he’ll never forget.

“I thought being in Tahiti and watching what happens on the ’CT was the coolest thing ever. Yeah, it’s little stressful at times, but if you’re getting results then it’s pretty damn cool to be one of the top 45 guys in the world,” says Keanu. “I thought everyone on tour kinda did their own deal and didn't hang with their friends and stuff, and some guys are really cool like that, and some are not, but overall it was a cool thing to see…I learned so much, it was the best experience ever! I felt like I was a sponge. I just took in so much.”

For Jordy, the roll of mentoring the young Hawaiian proved to be a natural fit.

“Yeah, well personally I think Keanu is really cool and not big headed at all. He surfs really well and he reminds me of what I was like when I was his age. But just hanging out with him was super fun. I think he learned a lot at the event in Tahiti and saw how a lot of the guys do things differently.”

In the end, there’s no substitute for seeing things first-hand, and Keanu’s experience while in Tahiti will undoubtedly serve the young lad well in the coming years. But if you ask Keanu what’s the most important thing he took away from his time shadowing Jordy, he won’t tell you about a pre-heat warm-up or what to eat the night before a big heat. What he will tell you is that he’s gained a solid friendship in the experience and more insight than he could have ever imagined.

“I thought Jordy was the coolest guy ever. He didn’t treat me like I was a little grom, which is what happens when I usually go on trips with older guys…every morning he would wake up and yell in Hawaiian slang ‘Keanu, how’s da waves bah!’ I’m really looking forward to qualifying one day and hopefully surfing in a heat against Jordy.”

A Smith/Asing rivalry come 2015? We sure hope so.

The Red Bull Girls, including Sophia Mulanovich, Sally Fitzibbons, and more get shacked like crazy on a dream trip to the Mentawais.

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The 100 best surfers under the age of 20 have a disturbing habit of looking like your average, everyday groms when they set foot on land. Which is why we decided to set them apart from the pack. Thanks to New Era, SURFER is handing out limited-edition hats to each member of the 2009 Hot 100—complete with their own trophy boxes and inscribed with the 100 surfers’ name on the inside lining. It’s sort of like a crown for a pack of soon-to-be kings and queens—except nothing like that at all. Maybe it’s more like golf’s green jacket…whatever, it’s pretty sick—so wear them with pride, young rippers.

On June 6, Killalea was officially recognized as a national surfing reserve, making it the fifth of its kind in New South Wales and the seventh in Australia.

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The all-girls camp brought together 32 excited young girls, aged eight to 17, for a day of fun surf and personal instruction by professional surfer Kira Sheppard.

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The second installment in classic images by iconic lensman Ron Stoner in celebration of SURFER's 50 year anniversary.

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By Jeff Mull

At 11 years old, Kanoa Igarashi looks every bit the part of the Southern California grom. His hair, bleached almost to the roots, sits on his shoulders and contrasts his tanned face. His boards, all 5-and-a-half feet of them, are covered in stickers and the drawn-out tone in his voice reflects his Orange County upbringing. In the water, Kanoa has proven himself one of the most dominant and competitively ruthless surfers the NSSA has ever seen. He’s had interviews and photos published in glossy magazines, been courted by industry bigwigs and team managers, and is comfortably seated at the vanguard of the next generation of professional surfers. At the surface, all of this reads like the standard golden-child-primed-for-the-Big-Leagues story that you’ve undoubtedly read before. But digging a little bit deeper, and you soon realize that there isn’t anything stereotypical about Kanoa at all.

In 1995, the Igarashi family left the skyscrapers, neon lights, and flashing modernity of Tokyo, Japan in favor of the surf-centered seascape of Huntington Beach, CA. It was a new life for the Igarashis, a life centered around surfing and family. Think of the Paskowitzes or the Fletchers but with more stability. Two years after making the journey west, the Igarashis were blessed with an addition to the family in the form of Kanoa. The fact that he would one day be a surfer was never in question. With a father and mother with saltwater pumping through their veins, it was as if Kanoa’s prowess in the water was predestined.

At a mere 3 years old, Kanoa and his father could consistently be seen on the northside of the Huntington Beach Pier, honing their craft among the Surf City monument. Fast-forward a few years down the line and Kanoa is becoming the most formidable surfers in the NSSA’s illustrious history. This year alone, Kanoa has gone on a competitive tear throughout the Golden State, laying waste to his competition and breaking records along the way. Most notably, Kanoa cemented his name into NSSA history by winning a staggering 30 events and counting this year. The previous record, 21, held by Cory Arrambide lay shattered in ruins. When asked about how he has been so successful, Kanoa laconically replied that, “I think I just hate losing.” Apparently.

With Kanoa’s prowess in the water solidified, we now turn to his history. Still yet a teenager, Kanoa has his entire life still before him, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a golden celebrity in Japan. Move over sushi, Toyota, and Karaoke, because Kanoa Igarashi is taking over. When Kanoa’s not attending traditional school—true to his Japanese roots, education is a priority in the Igarashi family and Kanoa’s held a mostly A average thus far—he’s busy filming for his third documentary-type film with Japanese television, leaving it no surprise that the Asian celluloid has done wonders for his image in Japan.

“I think this is the third time that I’ve had a camera crew follow me around. It’s a little weird at first, but I like it…it’s still pretty cool.” When asked about his quasi celebrity in the Land of the Rising Sun, Kanoa said that, “It’s a little weird signing autographs and being recognized and stuff. That hardly ever happens at home, but when I go to Japan, people recognize me. When I was younger, I used to ask Kalani Robb for autographs. Now I know how it feels, but I still like doing it.”

Going into the Nationals later this month, Kanoa is looking calm, collected, and very confident—a lethal combination if there ever was one in competitive surfing. With a massive following behind him, a solid head on his shoulders, and a family backing, we’re looking to Kanoa Igarashi to head the next great movement in American surfing.

Stay tuned to SurferHot100.com for updates on Kanoa’s march to glory at the NSSA Nationals.

ECO Watercraft Launching Enviromentally Conscious PWC

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Quiksilver is pleased to announce that it has signed legendary 9-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater to a 5-year endorsement contract, extending his sponsorship arrangement with the company and ensuring that the greatest surfer of all time will be sponsored by Quiksilver for his entire competitive career.

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Get amped for the 2009 Rip Curl Grom Search. Coming to a town near you.

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Joel Tudor and Ryan Burch snag the remnants of a steep south swell at Cardiff in San Diego.

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By Jeff Mull

Rudy Palmboom’s a soft-spoken gent from the Dark Continent with an intense addiction to coffee. When he’s not sipping on Arabica beans and frothed milk, Palmboom’s globetrotting and making a name for himself as one of the strongest junior surfers coming out of South Africa. If you’re not familiar with Mr. Palmboom, take note: he’s as legit as they come. Recently, we sat down with the Saffa to get his take on the future of junior surfing, growing up battling Jordy Smith, and what's it like to call South Africa home.

Can you tell us what it’s like growing up as a young surfer in South Africa?

It’s pretty cool. I think we’ve had an advantage because of our variety of great, uncrowded waves. And there’s only a minority of professionals which keeps it pretty competitive. I’ve grown up frothing on surf movies and continuously trying to improve my own surfing, but it has been difficult breaking into the international scene with confidence because our country isn’t nearly as established as Oz or the US. It’s all good and well being a pro in South Africa, but it definitely is a good challenge to break out into the international arena and get in the mix. Jordy has done it, and I think it’s opened a lot of eyes and a lot of us are pushing hard. We’re starting to realize that we are just as good as the rest of the world.

Once Jordy stepped onto the scene, did it feel like there was more of a spotlight placed on young, South African surfers?

I think so. It just opened up a lot more opportunities for us, because Jordy showed the surfing world that a South African kid can surf really, really good. Before that I think we were just making up the numbers, and now he is leading the pack and proving that we deserve to be up there with the rest. He has given us a lot more confidence too. Jordy and I were always in the same division since we surfed in the Unde-10s, going head to head quite often. I mean he’s always been a freak but it’s been unreal to see him step it up!


How about your upbringing? I understand that your parents run a surf camp in South Africa. What’s that like having all of those different types of people constantly coming in and out of your home?

It definitely has its ups and downs. We’ve had the place for around 10 years and I’ve met some of my best friends and the coolest people I know through our spot. All sorts—surfers, backpackers and groups come stay with us. Some people have ended up getting an apartment and living here after just spending time for a holiday. It’s a really cool spot and my parents try to keep it mellow and beach-resort orientated with a family vibe. We have had some really dodgy people come through on occasion but they are few and far between. As a whole it has been a great learning experience in that it has taught us to not be judgmental and to be tolerant of others.

Can you talk about how you got into surfing and what the waves are like near your home?

My dad got me into surfing when I was around 6, he’s always loved surfing and is a legend in South Africa. He still gets more amped than anyone I know. Our house is just in front of Ansteys Beach, which is where I surf mostly. It’s a fun, unpredictable wave and the banks are always changing so there’s always something new which is cool. About a five-minute walk down the road is Cave Rock, which is my favorite wave, there’s a take-off spot in front of the tidal pool and another in front of the rock, and it’s just a really square, heavy barrel.

Is there anyone or anything that you really look towards for inspiration with your surfing?

My dad for his passion and energy, he’s 50 and surfs for four to six hours when it’s good, and still gets more barreled than me. Always looked up to Taj Burrow’s whole approach, also Dane Reynolds and now the guys my age like Jordy, Julian, and Dusty.

I heard you’re a coffee addict…

My dad used to make me coffee in the mornings when I was younger, but I really got into it when I hit the U.S. and discovered Starbucks. I don’t have anything fancy, I just like my straightforward latte with skim milk. Ha…pretty gay but it’s little changes that keep you healthier! At home I just have instant coffee cause I’m lazy. I just have lots of it.

Where do you see South Africa as a country—not necessarily surfing related—going in the next decade?

I’m very positive about South Africa. There’s so much opportunity to grow, and everyone who comes to visit falls in love with the place. The only downfall is the crime, but hopefully that will improve as time goes on. It’s just different areas though, and you learn about the right places to go and simple, general rules that you live by and you’ll be okay for sure. We don’t experience any crime or anything different in our daily lives to you guys. The place is beautiful though, such great people and places and diverse cultures.

Aloha-filled photos from Maui's OluKai Ho'Olaule'a Ocean Festival.

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After a 9th place result in Tasmania, Brett talks about the 6 Star Prime at Margaret River, Western Australia. Part III South Africa & Lowers

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It looks like Simon Carbonell is going to be sporting a new addition to his quiver as well as a hefty hookup from Kustom Footwear as the San Diego native is the latest winner of our Photo of the Month contest. If you want to get hooked up like Simon next month and have your profile featured on the Surfermag.com homepage, keep your pages fresh and updated as we’re always on the lookout for the best shots on SurferHot100.com. That said, here’s a few kind words from SURFER’s own JP Van Swae on why this image was oh-so golden.

“The reason I really like this shot is that the photographer is using his surroundings to the best of his ability. He used not only the talented action of the surfer, but the foregrounding reef and dark background of the palms to show off the amount of spray thrown into the air. Great job!” —JP Van Swae, Assistant Photo Editor, SURFER Magazine

Peak moments from the season-opening wave-salvo on the Gold Coast of Australia.

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