Fsmv7 1 by Freesurf Magazine

UNLICENSED: WHY HITCHHIKING IS THE WAY TO GO PG. 40

HO‘OLALE I KA ‘AI U KA U‘I S H O W

W H A T

Kaoli Kahokuloa Photo: Heff

FREE IN HAWAI‘I VOLUME 7 NUMBER 1

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Y O U T H

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Koby Abberton

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K A L A N I ALE X F O RD

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FREE PARKING

Photo: Heff

“Maybe I should stop making fun of my O'Neill/Nike6.0 teammate’s accent now that I saw this sequence. C'est ci bon Charlie, getting shacked and the shot!” —Malia Manuel

F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

CONTENTS FSM V7#1 JANUARY

HITCHHIKING…

It ain’t so bad. We swear. Turn to page 40 to see why we’re right.

UPWARD MOBILITY

For John Florence, there are no boundaries. His ascent begins on page 58.

THE BOOKKEEPER

Shane Valiere rips, and studies, harder than you. Malia Manuel investigates what happens when a promising surfer chooses university life over the WQS on page 70.

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Phot ottoo:: Baes aese ese sseman

““Wh When n I watc w tched heed Jo hed J hn' n'ss heat n' h atss at a Pipeline this year, I was a baffled. He reads barrels way beyyond o his his year year a s.. s.... I im immed me iately HAD to Facebook him- ‘Wish I cou o ld d barrel ride like you.’ you .’ The Th ne ext day day,, I ga gave it a go and broke my favorite board.” –Malia Manuel

F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

Photo: Heff

CONTENTS FSM V7#1

10 20 24 26 28

free parking guest editors editor's note eh howzit inside section get waxed // off the map // the rell sun menehune // v-land groms // etiquette // kalani david quiver

39 46 64 68 72 76

whatevas finn mcgill aperture news & events eddie goes...off spotlight noah beschen free plugs last look

CONTRIBUTORS Koa Smith In the surf world, they don’t come anymore charismatic than Koa Smith. As the face of Hawai‘i’s current junior powerhouse, Koa’s also one of the most competitvely driven and savvy surfers around today. He’s got a host of national titles to his name and a passport with more stamps than we care to count, but Koa’s also a sharpminded kid. Couple the aforementioned with his artistic flair and we really wanted Koa’s voice in the mag. And thankfully, he obliged.

Malia Manuel If there’s another young woman as poised, graceful and talented as Kauai’s Malia Manuel, we’d be downright shocked to hear about her. When we first began tossing around names for our Guest Editor list, when Malia was mentioned, we all knew we’d made the right call. A few emails and a phone call later, and the US Open Champ was locked in as one of our guest editors. After our initial meeting, Malia had a few ideas that we knew were golden. Among those, she wanted to include a piece on Shane Valiere, a surfer with a gift in the water, but also in the classroom. To see how Malia dissects one of the most talented surfers not to don a jersey, turn to page 70.

Seth Moniz As a fiery grom and a member of a Hawaiian surfing dynasty, Seth Moniz is the youngest member of our Guest Editor trifecta. When we first sat down with Seth to talk about what he wanted to see in this issue, he threw down a litany of ideas that had the edit staff scratching away on our notepads. “We’ve just got to do something on my friend Finn…he’s the most classic guy ever,” said a bright-eyed Seth. Sounds good to us, here’s a camera and deadline, let’s shoot for a draft next week. And with that, Seth was off, a young rising grom turned surf journo documenting the life of today’s youth. When he came back, word and photos in tow, he didn’t disappoint. To see a glossy version of Seth’s work, turn to page 39.

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A product of Manulele, Inc. Volume 7 • Number 1 Publisher Mike Latronic

Editorial Editor Jeff Mull Photo Editor Tony Heff Art Director Richard Hutter Graphic Designer Tiarra Wiggs

with EcoUsable®

The ofﬁcial bottle of the VANS® Triple Crown of Surﬁng

Free Thinkers Beau Flemister, Drewtoonz, Koa Smith, Jack Kittinger, Malia Manuel, Seth Moniz, Siri Masterson, Noa Myers, Manny Pangilinan, Tom Stone

Staff Photographers Eric Baeseman, Bernie Baker, Brandon Ells, Tony Heff, Mike Latronic, Tyler Rock

Contributing Photographers Nathan Adams, Eric Aeder, Kirk Lee Aeder, Jamie Ballenger, Mark Berkowitz, Brian Bielmann, John Bilderback, Holt Blanchard, Vince Cavataio, Mike Coots, Darin Crawford, Hilton Dawe, Patrick Devault, Damea Dorsey, Willi Edwards, Brandon Ells, Beau Flemister, Isaac Frazer, Pete Frieden, Kirby Fukunaga, Ryan Gamma, Gordinho, Chris Hagan, John Helper, Jon Huberman, Rick Hurst, Buzzy Kerbox, Danny Kim, Kin Kimoto, Peter King, Ric Larsen, Bruno Lemos, Mana, Mike McGinnis, Ikaika Michaels, Justin Morizono, Allen Mozo, Dave Nelson, Carol Oliva, Manny Pangilinan, Christian Peralta, Steve Robertson, Pake Solomon, Epes Sargent, Bobby Schutz, Vince Street, Spencer Suitt, Bill Taylor, Paul Teruya, Jimmy Wilson

Sales Director of Sales and Marketing Sean Wingate Advertising Executive Shaun Lopez Advertising Executive Chris Latronic Business Coordinator Cora Sanchez Executive Assistant Siri Masterson

Advertising Inquiries Sean Wingate swingate@freesurfmagazine.com 808-429-8460 FREESURF MAGAZINE is distributed at all Jamba Juice locations, most fine surf shops and select specialty stores throughout Hawai‘i. You can also pick up FREESURFon the mainland at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores and select newsstands. Ask for it by name at your local surf shop! Subscribe at freesurfmagazine.com Other than “Free Postage” letters, we do not accept unsolicited editorial submissions without first establishing contact with the editor. FreeSurf, Manulele Inc. and its associates is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged submissions or their return. One-way correspondence can be sent to P.O. Box 1161, Hale‘iwa, HI 96712 E-mail editorial inquiries to info@freesurfmagazine.com Catch Billabong Surf TV Mondays at 1:30pm, Tuesdays at 2pm and 7:30pm, Wednesdays at 1:30am, Thursdays at 4:30am and 4:30pm, Fridays at 12:30pm and Saturdays at 3:30am and 9am and Sundays at 7:30am. And don’t forget Board Stories on Mondays at 2pm, Tuesdays at 5pm and 8:30pm, Wednesdays at 2:30am and 9:30am, Thursdays at 5:30am and 5:30pm and Saturdays at 2:30am and 7:30am and Sundays at 9:30am and 4pm.

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Matty Costa, Kalen Galtes, Keanu Asing, Malia Manuel, Koa Smith, Ezekiel Lau.

SHINING YOUTH

INSIGHT FROM MALIA MANUEL Ho‘olale i ka ‘ai u ka u‘i. I used to write this saying whenever I was asked what my favorite quote was. It translates into something that I’ve always felt held a strong meaning to me. It means “show what youth can do.” In an editorial planning meeting with the FREESURF staff, I was asked if I had an overall theme and this popped into my head. “Show what youth can do.” When FREESURF asked me to be a guest editor of this issue, it really hit me that my gromhood is over. Fortunately enough, I get to pass it on to a very innovative and new generation of groms. Luckily FREESURF documents the past, present, and future for us...Ho‘olale i ka ‘ai u ka u‘i. As the adage above goes, we hope this issue will inspire surfers of all ages, from the smallest beginners to the most seasoned of legends, because most of us are groms at heart anyway. “Show what youth can do.” And to all you new groms out there, my advice to you is to be thankful for what you have and stay in school; you are our future. And we need the best of you. So with that in mind, enjoy your gromhood, believe me, it goes by fast! Aloha, Malia Manuel

INSIDE SECTION

HOW TO:

GET WAXED By Siri Masterson

A good wax job can make or break a session. Just to set the stage, I am a chick and have a history of wax problems which have included (but are not limited to) rashes and rubs (right under the boob) because I have sensitive skin. Needless to say I was interested to put my critical goggles on to see which waxes would hold up to my standards since I have slightly different wax “obstacles” than the boys. Of the four types of waxes I tried, two were established: Sticky Bumps and Sex Wax. Two were from the fairly new brand, Tiki Wax. I tried both the Original and the NSB (North Shore Boyz) part-organic versions.

FIRST SESSION: Tiki NSB Organic Model. I’m a green lover but honestly didn’t have high expectations for this one since I heard that organics are not as sticky. I did my typical half-ass wax job and was impressed by the easy application of this bar. It’s a square shape that breaks into two triangles and smells like a smoothie. Stickiness was good. SECOND SESSION: Tiki Standard. The bar looks like a tiki totem and comes in white and pink colors. It was even easier to apply than the NSB version because of the nooks and crannies of the Tiki face. It’s softer for slightly bigger, stickier bumps and has a nice aroma. Really good stick from this wax. THIRD SESSION: Sticky Bumps. This is my usual brand and it seemed hard to apply compared with the previous two. It was okay, but I was annoyed that I had to work twice as hard to apply this wax to get the same amount of stick that the others gave. FOURTH SESSION: Sex Wax. This one felt softer than the others but isn’t solid enough to be a basecoat and makes me feel like I need a wax comb. It’s the most classic wax around, so you can’t go wrong.

Maui Whalers Village, Ka’anapali Front Street Lahaina Cannery Mall South Kihei Shops At Wailea Paia

Big Island Kona Inn Shopping Village Kings’ Shops Waikoloa

Oahu

PHOTOS BY: DORSEY

Outrigger Waikiki Hilton Hawaiian Village Pearlridge Center Aloha Tower Marketplace Waikiki Beach Walk Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Royal Hawaiian Center

Kauai Poipu Shopping Village Anchor Cove www.honoluasurf.com

INSIDE SECTION

OFF THE MAP NEW ZEALAND So after nearly two months spent scoring late-season swells in Indonesia, we had reached the point of over-saturation commonly known to surfers as being “surfed out.” It was time to leave the steamy jungles and coughing cities to stretch out a bit in greener fields. Destination: New Zealand. Ironically, though we left the sticky Third World for the more civilized order of the First, due to our budget and general level of class (low), we continued to live on the level somewhere between surf bum and homeless. We bathed in frigid rivers and lakes, washed our clothes and dishes in them too, stole ice for our cooler from motel ice machines, and exhausted the restroom facilities of countless coffee shops. This is how you roll when you travel in a campervan. And did I mention that New Zealand is THE most beautiful country on the face of the earth? Yeah, I said it. The two main islands, comprising a landmass bigger than the size of California, have a population of only four million, most of which live in—if you can call them this—the major cities. And yet again, it was a month of constant movement, the three of us pushing the camper to the limit, while roaming the length of both islands. But back to the beauty… It’s difficult to describe how utterly spectacular New Zealand is. You can attempt to in trite wordage like pristine, gorgeous, clean, and magnificent. But so many of the scenic lookouts and coastal highways continually fall into the mythical, dreamlike category. As a good friend of mine commented, “It’s like the land is competing against itself for most likely to blow your mind.” For starters, your eyes start to hurt. They hurt from straining at the sheer natural imagery that the country delivers on an hour-to-hour basis as you drive through the land. Everything is draped in an endless array of greens. Every shade, hue, tint, or tone imaginable; from the sheep-infested pastures to the feminine curves of valleys, the land is the epitome of fertile. Getting out of the campervan, we sampled a few of the countries gazillion outdoors activities. We hiked to the top of a dormant volcano amidst a raging blizzard. We connected the dots on beaches by kayak on a coast of land that looked like a cross between Na Pali and Neverland. We learned native Maori songs from locals while sitting in steamy, fernenclosed hot springs. We walked across prehistoric glaciers, and even floated on inner tubes through subterranean rivers, our way illuminated by a constellation of glowworms. And of course we surfed too. We actually made it to Raglan just in time for a three-day swell that gave us all some overhead, calf-hurtingly long lefts. That, and a stern warning from the park ranger telling us “that if he catches us camping in his parking lot again, he was calling the cops.” Sheesh…take it easy, Kiwi.

THE SWELLS WON’T STOP // YOU’LL BE UNDERGUNNED //...

INSIDE SECTION

PLAYING IN THE SUNN

Photo: Kelly Tsutsui

The 34th Annual Rell Sunn Menehune Contest For nearly three and a half decades, as sure as the northerlies arrive in force to Hawaii, the menehune of the Aloha State make the pilgrimage to Makaha to compete in and pay homage to one of Hawaii’s greatest surfing legends, the late Rell Sunn. Complete with a visit by many of today’s top pros—on hand were the likes of Rob Machado, Aamion Goodwin, Pat O’Connell and Joel Centeio—the latest generation of Hawaii’s groms hit the Makaha lineup in droves for the carefree contest. “The sun was out as usual in Makaha, and it really brings me back to the year when I did it. And I remember watching Kalani Robb and Brian Pacheco surfing really well. I remember it being a really good event…really fun,” said Aamion. “I’m stoked to be here helping out.” As Aamion eluded, competing in the now-historic event has become a rite of passage for many of today’s groms. And with a relaxed, playful vibe sweeping through the event, it makes it tough not to have a good time. “I used to do the Rell Sunn Menehune back in the early ’90s. I’m getting pretty old now. I did it from the time I was 8 or 9 until about 11 or 12. I think I might have won the 11 or 12 shortboards. And I think I might have won the bodyboard as well. We’re gonna go help some out of the groms now.” At the end of the event, with a plethora of stoked groms and sunburns, the newest generation of Hawaii’s young surfers took part in a special moment in HI.

A MORNING SESSION BEFORE WORK WILL BE YOUR NEW YEAR’S...

INSIDE SECTION

V-LAND

12 GROMS YOU SHOULD KNOW AT THE NORTH SHORE’S BIGGEST PLAYGROUND No North Shore upbringing is complete without a few years spent foraging for barrels at V-Land. Perhaps it’s why we’re consistently churning out some of the best surfers in the world. Without further ado, meet the next group of young surfers calling V-Land their stomping grounds.

JOEY JOHNSTON

RYAN SHANLEY

FINN MCGILL

KAULANA APO BARRON MAMIYA

SETH MONIZ JOSH MONIZ ELIJAH GATES

DAX MCGILL

MAKANA PANG

NOAH BESCHEN

Photo: Heff

WYATT MCHALE

RESOLUTION // SAID RESOLUTION WILL LAST ONE WEEK // YOU’LL FORGET ABOUT BONZERS, WIZARD SLEEVES, AND THE FISH, AND...

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Photo: Heff

INSIDE SECTION

Carlos Munoz and Mike Ho: major cross-traffic.

STAYING IN LINE A GUIDE TO ETIQUETTE By Seth Moniz

RESPECT

The first thing you surfers should do in the water is all the local people who surf. For example if I go surf somewhere that I have never surfed before I should respect all the local kids and the elders. I should first try to make friends with all the locals and not be so aggressive so the next time you go out there, your might get some respect from them.

NOT TO SNAKE THE OLDER PEOPLE. It's bad when a younger kid snakes an older person.

The next thing is

It gives no respect to them. Even if the older guy is catching a lot of

DON’T DROP

waves, it is still good to not snake him. And…

IN ON HIM!

NEVER CALL AN UNCLE OFF THE WAVE,

it is bad to do that. I don’t know how to explain it but you just don’t do it.

Having a good reputation is the best thing for you to meet new people

BEING RESPECTFUL BUILDS A GOOD REPUTATION.

and

HAVE RESPECT FOR OTHERS, YOU’LL BE WELCOMED BACK. If you do something dumb or stupid at some places, you

When you travel the whole world and

might not be welcomed back.

YOU’LL LOVE YOUR THRUSTER AGAIN // YOU’LL LEAVE ON A JET

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WAIMEA VALLEY

INSIDE SECTION

GRILL AND CATERING

Located in Waimea Valley, our grill is dedicated to bringing you farm fresh produce and local products. Our Catering Department Specializes in Private Events, Weddings, Banquets, Fundraisers, and Mixers. Photo: Heff

To book an event with us please call 808-638-8097

or email tnaylor@waimeavalleygrill.com Waimea Valley Grill is open daily from 9-5

KALANI DAVID

QUIVER

12 YEARS OLD, LOG CABINS At 12 years old, Kalani David has become one of the most talked about young surfers to call Hawai‘i home since John John sprouted wings. Well before Kalani reached the ripe old age of 10, he was getting lofty at the Sandbar and garnering his fair share of magazine coverage. So we want to know: how do you get so damn good so quick? We can speculate all we want, but one thing is certain: the quiver that Kalani’s got under his feet can only be helping. “My go-to, everyday board is a 5’0” swallowtail shaped by Glenn Pang. That’s pretty much my standard shortboard and the shape I rode the most.” “I’d say that I’ve got about 20 boards right now, but I really only use about eight.” “My dad and I came up with the lightning bolt drawing for my boards. I really like it. I do them all myself.” “I don’t really break that many boards. I’ve only broken about two this winter so far.” “I’ve probably got about 10 skateboards lying around in my room. And then there’s about 30 decks in my closet. I’ve got way too many skateboards.”

PLANE // FINDING PERFECTION DOESN’T REQUIRE AN AIRLINE

Photo: Latronic

WHATEVAS

SINGLE FINNS

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE FINN MCGILL Words and Photos by Seth Moniz This is my friend Finn McGill. He’s basically a crazy little kid. He’s 9 years old and lives in the North Shore of Oahu, up in the mountains, at Pupukea where his dad built a sick bamboo house with a huge yard. He’s also got a sister named Dax who’s 11 and loves all of the same things Finn does. Both Finn and Dax are sponsored by Volcom and seem to match it well. Finn’s whole family is so much fun to be with; they all love to surf, skate and have a good time. Uncle Mike is Finn’s dad and that’s where Finn gets his crazy side. Uncle Mike is one of the funniest dads I know. He plays around with Finn and Dax and cracks me up. His mom, Aunty Lindsey, charges when she surfs and trains super hard. Whenever I run and train with Finn, he never stops and wants to do more. He’s just like his mom. I think Finn has to be one of the best surfers in his age division. He puts so much power into his turns it almost seems like he’s a mini Pancho. His famous move is the grab-

rail cutback. We just surfed in the Rell Sunn Contest at Makaha and he did the biggest one of those that I’ve ever seen. When he does the turn, he comes down the line with a lot of speed, grabs his rail and puts all of his strength into his board…heavy. At the contest, he won the 7-9 Shortboard Division and placed fourth in the 7-9 Longboard Division. I know he was super stoked to make two different finals in that contest. Another specialty of Finn’s is getting barreled. I surf with Finn all the time at V-Land and he just gets the sickest drainers. Every wave he goes for he just stalls the whole way and searches for the tube. Getting barreled isn’t as easy as it looks, but Finn makes it look like butter. He’s not just a good surfer either. I watched Finn skate at the park in the North Shore and he is amazing. When he goes on the bowl, he gets so much speed and just flows and I think that helps him in his surfing.

The most important thing to know about Finn is that he’s lactose intolerant (that means he can’t drink or eat any dairy products) and he’s allergic to macadamia nuts. So if he eats any of this stuff, he has a close chance of dying so don’t give him any of these things! Because of this, Finn comes up with some crazy desserts. One of his creations is the “skittle-cone.” One night, he slept over at my house and we were eating ice-cream cones, but obviously, Finn can’t have ice-cream. So since he had a huge bag of skittles, he created skittles...in a cone. Welcome to the “skittle-cone” by Finn McGill. Another creation of his is the “pitapizza.” First you buy wheat pita bread. Then spread spaghetti sauce on the pita and stick it in the microwave for 1 minute. There you go! Surfs good, skates good, funny, crazy, he eats weird stuff, loves training hard, lactose intolerant...that’s Finn McGill.

TICKET AND OVERSIZED BAGGAGE FEES // THE GROMS WILL TAKE OVER // YOU'LL FINALLY COMPLETE THAT REVERSE. F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

THE

HITCHHIKER’S G U I D E

T H E

N O R T H

S H O R E

Photo: Heff

Adolescence in Hawai‘i can be defined by two thumbs, a few friends, a stack of boards, and a willingness to hitchhike your way to the lineup. Although in other parts of the world, the ancient art of thumbing it may be considered taboo, in Hawai‘i, it’s become a rite of passage. Ask any surfers reared in the islands and they’ll tell you that the stretch of years when mom stops driving and before you start are the stuff that memories are made of. For this feature, we’re paying homage to our teenage, non-driving brethren. You may hate thumbing it now, but take it from us, it’s one of the best times of your lives. Enjoy the ride. All you need is a thumb and a bit of patience. From front, clockwise: Landon McNamara, Eli Olsen, Josh Moniz, Makai McNamara and Isaiah Moniz, lurking for a ride.

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Photo: Heff

Burning out never looked so good. Eli Olsen, melting it.

F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

Photo: Baeseman Photo: Heff

Landon McNamara, arriving on point.

The best seat in the car.

“I still don’t have my license. But yeah, everybody hitchhikes on the North Shore. I don’t really do it in Town ever, just when I’m on the North Shore on the path and stuff. It’s always pretty classic and it’s pretty mellow. I mean, everybody knows who everybody is, so you never have to wait very long for a ride.” —Ezekiel Lau

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Makai McNamara finds the pot of gold at the end of the journey.

Photo: Heff

“I remember one time I was hitchhiking back to the Billabong house and it started to rain. So this guy just drove right past us. I got pretty pissed and yelled something and then he screeched to a stop. I was thinking we were gonna get snapped on pretty hard. But he got out and just said, ‘You didn’t have to yell. All you had to do was stick out your thumb.’ We cracked up pretty hard about that one when we got in the car.” —Kaimana Jaquias

Isaiah Moniz, putting it into fifth gear.

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Photo: Heff

1 2

Find a spot with a straight stretch of road so drivers can see you earlier. Try and make eye contact with a person.Look em right in the pupils and guilt them into picking you up.

3 4 5

Find a spot with an easy place to pull over.Give them no excuse not to pick you up.

Photo: Heff

Dont poach on other hitchhikers.Find your own spot.

Photo: Rock

One journey ends and another one begins.

Dont be filthy.If you look at least halfway clean. youre way more likely to get picked up.

As long as he gets to the lineup, Josh Moniz doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t car how he arrived. F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

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Seth Moniz Seth Moniz about to get super barreled. Photo of the year. These shots looking out the barrel should always be run.

Photos chosen and captions written by Koa Smith.

Photo: Baeseman

F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

Photo: Latronic

Nat Young Nat Young, gonna land on a rock.

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Photo: Heff

Malia Manuel Malia Manuel is pretty much like a sister to me and is always out surfing me.

F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

Photo: Rock

Alex Smith

Photo: Rock

This is my brother Alex. Doing a gnarly grab rail.

Albee Layer, always really good at getting barreled.

Albee Layer

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Sequence: Heff

I try these shuvits on every wave, but somehow Lahiki Minamishin pulls these off.

Lahiki Minamishin

F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

Photo: Latronic

Evan Geiselman

Kyle Galtes Kyle Galtes, super underground, but one of the top surfers in Hawaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;i.

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Photo: Heff

Pretty boy Evan Geiselman checks his reflection in the wave.

Photo: Latronic

Kiron Jabour

Photo: Heff

When Brazil meets Hawaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;i, Kiron Jabour.

Harry Wheeler Harry Wheeler, ducking for cover.

F R E E S U R F M A G A Z IN E .C O M

Jesse Guglielmana Jesse Guglielmana, all style.

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Photo: Heff

Keanu Asing is always shredding and is known for his power turns.

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Photo: Baeseman

Keanu Asing

JUMP START YOUR

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BACK-TO-SCHOOL SEASON... SEASON...

IN JUST TWO DAYS. FEBRUARY 3-4, 2010

SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA

FALL 2010

•

HOLIDAY 2010

•

WINTER 2010–11

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A Tale of Two Johns Dissecting the World’s First Super Grom By Beau Flemister

Photo: Baeseman

Getting a few moments to do an interview with John John Florence was both a little difficult and a little not. Difficult, because he’s not making any effort to pencil me in, give me an exact time and date or cater in any way to my schedule. He’s probably had dozens of people like me prodding him every year since he was 10. “John John, can I get an interview?” we ask. “John John, can I get a photo?” we plead. “And how about one with you and your family. And can we get one with your mom in there too?” we mutter. Aarrgh goes the boy with two first names. More media. More photos. He’s a decade deep in the game. But I had to find him. Which, as I mentioned, proved to be the “not difficult” part as all John John does is surf—either out at Pipe or at Ehukai affront his North Shore house. It’s there that I find him after a few calls and cancellations. We were supposed to conduct the interview at his pad at 4:00. It was now 4:30 and he was still surfing. I’m sure he had completely forgotten we’d spoken a few hours earlier. So after surfing myself and then watching him go in, I followed him to his doorstep. I’ve come to the conclusion that the difficulty I’ve had tracking down The World’s First Super Grom isn’t a shun towards me, but more of a defense mechanism. As the main question to John John in the interview was, “What’s it like to be in the spotlight your whole life?” a certain flakiness…or more so aloofness to all the hype and expectations may be the only way to survive and thrive. Less than a decade ago John John Florence, now freshly 17 years old, was described as the first “supergrom,” this term attributed to a child of exceptional-to-manlike surfing capabilities, but still well under the age of 12. Supergrom. This was John John. With the look of a longhaired, towheaded baby of some Nordic god, he was already getting tubed at small Pipeline and had guys like Kelly Slater saying he was “the next big thing.” O’Neill immediately took notice and sponsored him and his whole family. (John’s two younger brothers, Nathan and Ivan, are almost mirror images of him.) Two years later Vans followed suit. And after various photos ran of his pint-sized frame ran in the major international magazines, he graced the cover of the huge Surfer mag annual collector’s edition.

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Photo: Latronic

When he was just 12, he competed in the Vans Triple Crown Pipe Masters, the youngest surfer to ever do so. For not being out of elementary school yet, John John was surrounded in the hype and a million people wanting a piece of the Golden Child. So my question once again stands: How do you deal with that? “Everyone comes here to Hawai‘i every year, since I was a kid. So I’m used to it. It’s like I really don’t even mind it. It’s helped me out, really. I got sponsors, all these connections to different people and places; it’s not so bad,” says John John. Okay. But I prod him a little further. What about all the expectations from your sponsors, the media? You know there’s expectations. Does that ever get to you, would you ever have it any other way? “You ignore the hype. You block it out. You have to, or it won’t be fun anymore. At the same time though, you gotta stay humble. If I get too cocky, guys like Nathan [Fletcher], Jamie O’Brien, Bruce Irons, they’ll say something.” I guess having superheroes like these guys acting as your big brothers wouldn’t be so bad either. But I realized that when it comes down to it, this life of fame and opportunity is the only one that John John knows, the exceptionality of it being totally normal for him, comfortable, really. Why would he want it any other way? But what about the school and all the traveling, that’s gotta wear on a kid, right? “Homeschool’s not so bad. You do have to get more

With the look of a longhaired, towheaded baby of some Nordic god, he was already getting tubed at small Pipeline and had guys like Kelly Slater saying he was ‘the next big thing.’

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Little man, big moves - 2005

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Photo: Latronic

Setting up and in good form, John John in ’04

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Photo: Baeseman Photo: Heff

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motivated to do it than regular school, but if I were in highschool, I’d just want to be surfing, so with homeschool I can surf that much more. Yeah, we travel a lot. Last year we were in Cali, Maldives, South Africa, France, England, Spain, Portugal, Indonesia…I was back home for only a month. But even though a lot of the travel is for ’QS events, I always travel with my mom and two brothers, which really just makes it fun like some big family trip. We travel everywhere together.” Interesting. For even amidst the chaotic jet-set life of a burgeoning professional, this closeness of family seemed so ordinary, a tie seemingly stronger than most “normal” families I’ve ever known. I pause and take a look around the house. An array of North Shore grommets coming in or going out for a surf, perusing the refrigerator, watching surf flicks—a house full of kids being kids—not too abnormal. “John John, let’s go out again, I’m ready!” shouts a friend. “Can’t man, I’m in the middle of an interview.” “Whoooa, sor-ry, superstar!” he apologizes cynically. John John rolls his eyes, but blushes, a noticeable moment of adolescence showing through his “just business” façade. So then

what exactly are his sponsors expectations? “Basically to just go surf. Do what I’ve always been doing. Yeah, I’m doing the ’QS, and when I turn 18 next year that’ll be top priority if I want to make it to the WCT, which I do.” This isn’t to say that the just-go-surf demands are all John John delivers. Besides a strong past amateur contest career, he made it through a couple heats in last years Pipe Masters, has won junior pros out at Sunset Beach and placed second at one this year in France. Another thing kids his age lack is his comfort in big surf at locales like Waimea Bay or other O‘ahu outer reefs. Not every child star or young prodigy or in this case Supergrom can handle the spotlight. Being constantly critiqued, scrutinized, judged against their peers or past phenoms, everyone wanting something from them… even if just a quote. Many crumble under the pressure or inevitably become totally disenchanted with the outcome of their talent. Some, like John John, watched closely since he was 8, rise above it. Maybe ignoring all the wants, but staying true to himself. I think John John could care less what people think or expect of him. He knows that if he keeps “doing what he’s always done,” he’ll stay on the familiar path that’s only proved golden.

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You ignore the hype. You block it out. You have to, or it won’t be fun anymore.

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John Florence, battling his way to the forth round of this year's 2009 Billabong Pipe Masters.

Photo: Heff

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NEWS & EVENTS

Sunny Garcia, staring down a beast.

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SURFING'S HELLMEN COLLIDE WITH THE BAY Eight times in 25 years. That’s it. More times than not, we opt not to run. We opt not to go. But this year, with a solid 25-foot-plus swell looming on the horizon we marked December 8 on our calendars as the day that The Eddie would ignite. And fire up it did.

Photo: Heff

With the media fueling up this swell across the Internet as The Swell of the Decade, high hopes were held on the North Shore. Oh, how we wanted to believe. But we’ve all been privy to over hyping more times than we care to recall. Would this swell of swells prove worthy of the hype or would she barely tickle the outer reefs? On December 7, with the buoys sounding the preliminary alarms, we knew this was the real deal. She had showed in force and was as legit as they come. Boom. Boom. Boom. The morning of the seventh bore witness to one of the biggest days we’ve seen in quite some time on the North Shore. Some say it was the biggest in nearly a decade, referencing it to the death-defying winter of ’98. And when dawn broke, Waimea was already showing her true face and a slew of the world’s best big-wave surfers were out in squads, honing in their sites and warming up for the event that they knew was coming.

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Along the cliffs and the shaking beach, thousands of spectators gathered in droves to see men tackle Mother Nature. Name a big-wave legend in the sport, and the odds are in your favor that they were bobbing in the lineup at Waimea that day, warming up for the forthcoming Eddie. And as far as warm-ups are concerned, this one was full of carnage. But that’s exactly the way these guys like it. Among those standing tall amid the 25foot-plus waves of death, Shane Dorian looked to be at the tip of the spear. Well into his 30s, Shane’s still surfing with the reckless abandon of a man in his 20s with a death wish. Needless to say, Shane went over the wire numerous times, but pushing yourself in waves of that caliber doesn’t come without a price as Shane would go over the handlebars and nearly rupture his eardrum. If you were to ask Shane, it was a price he’d pay for waves like that any day. When the day finally ended, boards were broken, bodies battered and egos soared. All this, and The Eddie wouldn’t start for yet another day. When the morning of The Eddie finally dawned, traffic on Kam Highway was backed up as far as the eye could see. The beach at Waimea was at capacity and helicopters swarmed the air like hornets. All eyes were on the competitors. We knew they would push it and we waited in anticipation with our collective breaths on hold. From the outset, the likes of Kelly, Andy, Reef, Makua, Twiggy, and Greg Long pushed the envelope in the deadly surf. Kelly, as well versed of a competitor as he is, seemed the standout once again, pulling into outside kegs and connecting them all the way to neck-breaking shorebreak. But out of the blue skies, San Clemente’s Greg Long, a man that has built his reputation rushing waves that make most of nauseous, pulled off the wave of the day. The win was his. $50,000 dollars and the pride of claiming the most esteemed event in surfing. ’Til next year.

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Kelly Slater, but you knew that.

Photo: Latronic

“There’s way less world champions than there are winners of The Eddie. It’s just a really special event,” said three-time world champ Andy Irons at the event’s opening ceremony. “They don’t have it very often, so just to be invited is truly an honor.”

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SPOTLIGHT

NOAH BESCHEN

9 YEARS OLD, NORTH SHORE, O窶連HU UNCLES: GAVIN, HORN, RUBEN SAN CLEMENTE: T-STREET, LOWERS WHEELS: FAST MUSIC: JAH SON SCHOOL: WRITING BOARD: RIDING V-LAND: SURFING FOOD: GOOD FRIENDS: BARON

Photo: Heff

HOMEBREAK: ROCKIES

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PAU HANA

THE HIGH ROAD

SHANE VALIERE HITS THE BOOKS

Photo: Scott Aichner

Interview by Malia Manuel Malia Manuel: I remember when I was a grom you and your brother were winning lots of contests on Kaua’i. Evan stayed on the contest route and you went to college. What inspired you to make that decision? Shane Valiere: I was actually really confused about what I was going to do. I think not having many strong contest results in my last year in NSSA played a large role in my final decision, as well as not being that into shooting photos. Two years later when I chose my major and committed to school I found I was much happier with my decision and grateful for my situation. MM: Although you’re going to college, you still get to surf almost every day and go on surf trips. Can you explain how you tie in surfing along with college. SV: I’ve found that surfing is sometimes even more fun when you have to work all day and be in class before you can do it. I live by the beach so I can run out and surf almost every day and the waves are rippable most of the time. Of course there is a ton of work and sometimes I do school work and study all day, or all week lately, and can’t surf.

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Ask any pro hailing from Kaua‘i and he’ll tell you that the island is littered with underground rippers, who, for one reason or another, never went the professional route. Some despised competition, others were just plain over it and some went the school route. Shane Valiere is one of those that opted for books over boards. As the younger brother to Evan Valiere, Shane’s been a top-shelf surfer for all of his life. But when the time came to either join the WQS or go to school, Shane took a step back, examined his options and moved to San Diego to major in Marine Biology. It’s proved to be a beneficial choice as he’s still able to get lofty on a regular basis at the many beachbreaks near his house. All after his homework’s done, of course.

MM: Your brother is one of the most underground rippers from Kaua’I without a major sponsor. How does that help with your decision about staying in college? SV: My first few years in college my brother was doing really well and so were a lot of my friends so I was kicking myself. Now since the economy slumped it makes me feel like I made a good decision because now I’m almost finished with a degree and have other career options besides surfing. MM: Any advice you want to share with groms? SV: If you want to surf all day go ahead, but if you’re drawn towards other things you should give them a chance too and you’ll find you can still surf plenty. MM: Tell us a little about what you’re majoring in at college in San Diego and what you hope to achieve. SV: I’m majoring in Marine Science: Earth Systems. It’s really all about how this world works and it’s a lot more complex than I ever thought. Science majors are really tough so I’ve achieved a lot just by making it this far. I’m not sure what I want to do when I graduate but I have a few options. I kinda just want to go home and surf for like a month straight to celebrate graduating then I’ll figure it out.

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The Billabong squad walked away with a bevy of solid results this season on the North Shore. Kicking off their run, Greg Long risks life and limb and wins The Eddie. And despite Parko falling just short of his ďŹ rst world title, he still managed to take the Triple Crown, a respectable feat in Hawaii if there ever was one. Following on the heels of Parkoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success, Taj Burrow took the Pipe Masters title over Slater. A solid showing for the Billabong squad to say the least. Way to go guys.

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Most of the world’s best big-wave riders know they will never even put on a contest jersey, let alone compete against the world’s best. Evan Valiere has had the opportunity to compete in many events around the world, but not in the giant waves he loves to charge. So he has decided it’s time to put on an event that includes everyone from the world’s most famous surfers to all of the unsung heroes who are already out there putting their lives on the line for the pure love of surﬁng. The North Shore Big Wave Challenge is a grassroots event. To compete, anyone can paddle into the biggest wave on his or Jesse Guglielmana her own power anywhere in the Hawaiian Islands anytime from December through the end of March. The winner will receive a host of prizes including a Steve Valiere art work valued at $10,000, a giclee by Mike Coots valued at $4,000 and a Evan’s trophy from his victory at Xcel.

The good folks over at HIC know it doesn’t get more local than chicken katsu and a day spent shredding with your friends. So why not have both? Enter the HIC collaboration with L&L Barbecue. You read it right. Surf and turf deﬁned...sort of. Check em out at Macy’s, HIC Stores, or online at L&L’s website. 74

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LAST LOOK

COMING NEXT ISSUE: BOOM GOES THE NORTHERLIES. BETWEEN THE EDDIE GOING HAYWIRE, SUNSET EXPLODING, AND PIPELINE, WELL, BEING PIPELINE, WE'RE CHRONICLING ONE OF THE MOST POTENT EARLY SEASONS ON MEMORY. IT'S SURE TO BE AN ISSUE YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS. 76

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Photo: Latronic

Go long! At surfingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s version of the Pro Bowl, Greg Long goes for the Hail Mary.

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