November 20, 1989 // Haiku, Hawaii
Synopsis: Kai had a breakout year in 2008—he won the World Pro Juniors in Narrabeen, landed on the cover of SURFER, turned up in a grip of other shots in the surf press, and locked down various competitive results on the Junior level.
Variables: He had a rough time in all of the WQS-level events he entered.
Forecast: Momentum counts for a lot in the surf world, and Kai is on a roll. With a regimented training strategy and a renewed commitment to the WQS, he should find the comp results he needs. Meanwhile, a packed travel schedule and various video parts will keep him in the media’s spotlight. The only danger here is multitask-induced burnout.