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No Two Paths Are The Same By Andrew Oliver

The transition of spring into summer will sometimes bless us with a near total envelopment of swell, with the last pulse of northern hemisphere energy being met by swell from south of the equator. A dream scenario which sees both main coastlines, north and south, firing at the same time. An individual swell is a marvel in its own - an immense accumulation of wind energy that travels the vast swath of ocean, finally terminating in an explosive crescendo at its eventual shoreline destination. The sheer quantity of variables which must align for one swell event, let alone multiple, is astounding. The journey of a wave is truly a wonder of nature, each with its own miraculous path. So too, are our own individual trajectories, as we become surfers, and how we each engage uniquely with our beloved pastime. This issue highlights a small sampling of the diverse relationships we have with surfing and the ocean. As illustrated in Where the Sun Greets the Land, a collection of five short profiles, by FreeSurf contributor Daniel Ikaika Ito, on nā kānaka maoli i ke kai (the Native Hawaiians of the ocean) on the Island of Hawai’i. From this one relatively small community along the eastern shores of the Big Island, we see the distinct bonds they each have with, as Ito writes, “the waters of Hawai‘i Island, stemming from the practices of their kūpuna (ancestors) and extending to their work to mālama (care for) their home.” The surfing experience is deeply personal. With each of us arriving at it from a different place, paths as unique as the journeys of the waves themselves. We celebrate when waves are in abundance and from an array of sources. That celebration should extend to the immense tapestry of surfing, and the surfers who weave their unique experience into it.

KEANU ASING

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H U N T I N G TO N B E AC H , C A

“SURFING WITH ALOHA SINCE 1977”

VINCY MAYNE "First off I am so grateful that Suzi and Volcom put on the Steep & Deep contest this year. It’s awesome to get to see all the images. I am really stoked to have my photo chosen for this years Steep & Deep contest. I think it’s actually the first time I’ve ever won a photo contest! The waves at Pipeline this year were absolutely nonstop. I remember this evening and I almost wasn’t going to swim out. I had so many photos of Pipeline at that point. I’m grateful I did. This wave of Vince hit the inside boil and exploded. Immediately after I looked at the back of my housing. I was so stoked on the image that came through. I shot this photo in the pocket of the wave and I loved how it really showed the power and heaviness of where Vince was at. I swam out the back and called him over to show him the image. It is by far one of my favorite photos I had captured from the winter!"

- Brent Bielmann

ANTHONY WALSH

"That morning, I woke up angry at myself. I had missed shooting the night before and I sure as hell wasn’t going to be late for the early session. I’d taken some photos I loved this winter but I didn’t feel like any quite had that holy sh*t factor. Hoping for some leftover action, I arrived at Pipe at first light. I watched an 8’ a-frame break at Gums, felt a dark tug of nerves in my gut, and sat to watch from the picnic table. Half an hour passed. Waves were washing through 3rd reef, there were no makable barrels and no lulls between sets. My frustration at missing yesterday evening was compounding because it looked like I wouldn’t be able to shoot. Then a barrel spit…..followed by another…and another. The ocean calmed in a long enough lull that my mind photographer was able to swim out to the lineup without getting obliterated. That familiar excitement came and I set off to get ready. It was a wild and wooly swim to get out. Jake Maki and I got blown through the sandbar at Gums and almost sent back to the beach. We both agreed we had mistimed the entry a little.

Positioning was also an issue that morning. If I sat in the channel, the swell was so thick that the bottom portions of the barrels were going to get blocked. If I sat deeper on the reef I’d miss the waves that swung wide, and some of the wide waves were exceptional. My goal was to shoot more zoomed out to fill the frame with the enormity of what the surfers were riding. The session started slow, it seemed like all of the right swell ingredients were there but they weren’t coming together. When Anthony Walsh took off on this wave it was the first ride I saw that made the reef work. From my perspective, it started out deceptively normal-looking. He almost lost his balance at the bottom but regained his stance just in time as it hit the shallowest part of the reef and mutated into what I shot. Waves never look as incredible in the shot as they do when you’re sitting in front of them, but I don’t feel that way about this image. This photo is every bit as intense as what I saw from my little corner of not quite on the reef, and not quite in the channel."

-Christa Funk

JOHN JOHN FLORENCE "This photo stood out to me not just because of John’s perfect positioning, but for two other reasons. Typically, the spray cannons at Pipeline only go horizontal, this wave had a vertical one. Also, at the tip of the lip, the color darkens, matching the shade of the wall of water before the lip starts. Those natural elements draw the eye to John."

-Christa Funk

SHAYDEN PACARRO

"I remember this wave from January. It was a pretty big day at pipeline, so it was one of those days where the current kept pushing back and forth (making the photographer lineup pretty scattered). I wasn’t planning on being all the way on the inside in the photographer lineup, but I just happened to get stuck there for a set. Shayden got this bomb from the peak, but the wave didnt really go crazy till the end inside bowl, right where I was lucky enough to be and capture it. It was a super wide barrel compared to how the rest of the waves looked that day, and after looking through the sequence, I don’t think Shayden could of been any deeper and still have made it out like he did."

-John Hook

MIKEY BRUNEAU "I'm pretty sure every surfer and photographer lost track of how many amazing days Pipeline had this winter. But with that said, there were a handful of truly heavy days out this past January, with January 24th being quite possibly the heaviest. The swell was growing throughout the day and extremely west. So west in-fact that people were lining up outside of the regular OTW takeoff zone to ride the biggest swells that first reef Pipeline could handle. Mark Healey nabbed a ridiculous wave that everyone on the beach witnessed and the pack doubled within the hour. I swam out to see some of the most square blues waves imaginable with many of the top surfers in the water. With many incredible rides going down, this wave of Mikey stuck out for me. My initial instinct was to swim away, it was significantly bigger than previous sets. Mikey took off deep. So, so deep and went guns blazing into a section that stretched out 40ft. The type of wave that every surfed watched and when the shockwave from the lip obliterated him, it was the kind of wave that everyone watched to make sure he surfaced, unharmed. "

-Ryan "Chachi" Craig

The Hawai’i Junior Surf Team Aim For Gold at the 2022 ISA World Junior Championships By Andrew Oliver Photos Mike Latronic When it comes to competitive surfing, Hawai’i has a long legacy of producing some of the sport’s most accomplished competitors. The International Surfing Association (ISA) World Junior Championships has been an integral part of both developing and showcasing the state’s talent for generations. In recognition of surfing's deep cultural and historical roots in the islands, the ISA deems Hawai’i an independent surfing nation, allowing the juniors to compete proudly under the Hawaiian flag. Hawai’i has had incredible success at the ISAs, on both the team and individual levels, bringing home 16 World Championship titles and numerous team gold medals. The event draws 300+ competitors from over 30 different nations, all vying for gold. After a three year postponement due to the pandemic, the pent up excitement of the world’s best junior surfers who will gather in El Salvador for this year's event will be palpable.

This year, Hawai’i’s team includes top junior surfers from across the state; U18 Girls - Ewe Wong (Oahu), Pua Desoto (Oahu), Nora Liotta (Maui) U18 Boys - Luke Swanson (Oahu), Kai Martin (Oahu), Shion Crawford (Oahu) U16 Girls - Haylee Boverman (Maui), Vaihiti Inso (Oahu), Malia Moana Lima (Kauai) U16 Boys - Rylan Beavers (Kauai), Jackson Dorian (Big Island), Luke Tema (Oahu) Expectations are high for this year's squad as they’ll be looking to capitalize on the high caliber surf El Salvador is capable of. In a testament to that wave quality, the ISA World Junior Championships, held May 27 - June 4, is a preview to the WSL Championship Tour Event that will be held at the same location just a week later. In the meantime, the Hawai’i juniors have been busy preparing for the big event with multiple training days at the summertime high performance epicenter of Kewalos and the team is looking sharp. You can follow the Hawai’i Surf Team’s progress on Instagram and learn how to support @hawaiisurfteam. 28

Haylee Boverman

Jackson Bunch

Eve Wong

Kai Martin

Pua Desoto

UNDER 18 BOYS

HAWAI'I SURF TEAM 2022

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W H E R E T H E S U N G R E E T S T H E L A N D By Daniel Ikaika Ito Photos Tara Rock

Hilo is the largest city on the east side of Hawai‘i Island and itʻs a sleepy, old town known for the immense amount of rain and home of the worldʻs largest hula event: The Merrie Monarch Festival. It is a lush, vibrant land accentuated with waterfalls, rivers and freshwater springs, and adorned with tropical flora and fauna. Although the hula dancers are the most wellrecognized keepers of the culture, the kānaka maoli i ke kai (the Native Hawaiians of the ocean) are daily cultural practitioners when it comes to the sea.

anaka Maoli (Native Hawaiians) know that Cape Kumukahi on Hawai'i Island is a wahi pana (sacred place) where the sun first greets the land. It is cultural protocol to visit this rocky, rural area at sunrise and perform the “E Ale E” chant to greet the sun as it rises. Americans recognize Kumukahi as the most eastern point of the United States of America. Kanaka Maoli believe that 72 meters inland from Cape Kumukahi is Kīlaue Crater: the home of the fire goddess Pele. Hawai‘i Island is the youngest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, and with an active volcano itʻs still growing with every eruption.

The following five kanaka maoli have an intimate relationship with the waters of Hawai‘i Island, stemming from the practices of their kūpuna (ancestors) and extending to their work to mālama (care for) their home.

Like most places on Hawai‘i Island, itʻs a long journey to get to see the latest lava flow or to “E Ala E” at Kumukahi. Many of the most dazzling areas on the “Big Island” require fourwheel drive and/or a long hike. The length and challenge of the journey is a reflection of the raw beauty of Hawai‘i Island and its people. The eastern shore of Hawai‘i Island is known for its black sand beaches and rocky coastline. The beaches and waves can change frequently from lava flows, hurricanes, heavy rains and invasive species.

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THE CONSERVATIONIST Chloe Alexandria Kalikopualehuakauikalani Martins–Keli‘iho‘omalu Chloeʻs Hawaiian name – Kalikopualehuakauikalani – means “the shoots of the Lehua blossom that leads to the heavens” and it was given to the 25-year-old by her grandparents. The bright, red Lehua is also the official flower of Hawai‘i island and all five species of Ōhi‘a Lehua are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Kanaka maoli believe that a name is the first gift you give a keiki (child) and that children grow into their name.

alikoualehuakaikalani is a very fitting Hawaiian name for Chloe who works as a Community Science Coordinator for the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forestʻs ‘Ōhi‘a Disease Resistance Program. According to the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Ōhi‘a trees comprise approximately 80% of Hawai‘iʻs forests. In 2014, scientists identified two fungal species (Ceratocystis huliohia and Ceratocystis lukuohia) that were infecting Ōhi‘a trees and quickly killing the trees from a disease known as Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (R.O.D.). Chloe and her colleagues are at the forefront in the battle against R.O.D. through the ‘Ōhi‘a Resistance Project.

“Right now my focus is community outreach and we're trying to find naturally occurring ‘Ōhi‘a in R.O.D. impacted forests that are resistant to R.O.D.," explains Chloe. "We're doing inoculation trials with R.O.D. and trying to see if the Ōhi‘a that are still standing in the forest are resistant to R.O.D. or if they havenʻt been infected yet." When Chloe is not battling R.O.D. you can find her surfing at Honoli‘i where she is one of the standout surfers in the lineup. Her elegance and graceful style on a longboard are easily distinguishable if youʻre checking the surf from the car park. She is a kanaka maoli out there, holding space for wāhine (women) and continuing the cultural practices of her ‘ohana (family). “The ocean is very much a family-oriented thing no matter what the activity is," says Chloe. "Whether it's fishing, diving or surfing – it's very much a family thing even if you're out there alone gathering for your family, or if I'm surfing to perpetuate the culture and make sure there is representation out in the lineup." Although Chloeʻs pursuit of happiness is makai (toward the ocean) and her professional life is primarily up mauka (toward the mountain) area she knows that everything is connected. To mālama i ke kai (care for the ocean) itʻs also all about mālama honua (care for the Earth). "To take care and love the ocean it really starts from the mountain and it goes down that entire system,” she says. “Whatever is going on up top in the mountains or in the midland area – if that's not going good then you'll be able to see that in the ocean. Everything is connected and you have to take care of the entire system and love the entire system."

Chloe Alexandria Kalikopualehuakauikalani Martins–Keli‘iho‘omalu

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THE SCIENTIST Clifford Kapono, Ph.D. Clifford Kapono is a Renaissance Man. Professional Surfer. Chemist. Journalist. Filmmaker. Activist. Community Leader. The 34-year-old is the most successful professional free surfer to ever come out of Hilo. Cliff is supported by sponsorships from brands like Vissla, Reef, Channel Islands Surfboards and Hydroflask to surf around the world without the need to compete in World Surf League events. This is a dream job for a kid who grew up in Hilo, surfing the chilly, cobblestone waves of Honoli‘i, but he has actually been practicing science in academia longer than he has been a pro surfer. Currently, Cliff is an assistant professor in the School of Social Transformation in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University (A.S.U). His kuleana (responsibility) for A.S.U. is to focus on human environmental interactions and how storytelling around our natural environment can be used to better improve our stewardship of those environments. “I think thatʻs just natural here in Hawai‘i, how I grew up with Honoli‘i and the coral out here on the east side of Hawai‘i Island – they're very resilient. They're some of the most resilient reefs on the planet. I like to think of them as a working class coral of the world. Kind of like the working class people who live on the eastern coast of Hawai‘i Island,” says Cliff. “It's just really interesting to see how nature can kind of parallel human society in that sense. I'm hoping that by celebrating stories of resilience in the ocean and in nature, it can inspire the human condition, especially in communities that are seemingly marginalized, like the Native Hawaiian community.”

liff is on a mission to grow science as a potential export for Hilo through the MEGA Lab. This multi-scale environmental graphical analysis (MEGA) lab is a global consortium of scientists,

Clifford Kapono, Ph.D.

athletes, and artists who use science as a way to improve the planet. Located in Downtown Hilo, the goal of the MEGA Lab is to create innovative solutions that protect the ocean, and provide those solutions to the communities that are in need. "Just like the MEGA Lab, there are other consortiums or groups of scientists that are studying our island or studying the universe from our islands,” he explains. “Something that we try to focus on in the MEGA Lab and in my science is to have community-based research stemming from the indigenous communityʻs desires or needs.” In 2014, Kū Kia‘i Mauna (protectors of the mountain) began protesting the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (T.M.T.) on Mauna Kea. Since then there has been a tenuous relationship between the scientific community – specifically astronomers – and the Native Hawaiian community to this day. Itʻs something that Cliff is well aware of and he himself has joined in the protests of the T.M.T. in the past. His work as a scientist and his identity as a kanaka maoli is a kuleana (responsibility) that he doensʻt take lightly. “Being a part of the indigenous Hawaiian community, I believe that there comes a time when the research and the intention of the science sometimes have to take the backseat for the voice of the community. Sometimes, the community isn't 100% supportive of the way we are answering the questions, which is important for us as scientists, and for me in the MEGA Lab to reassure the community that if we are performing research that the majority of our community that we live in does not approve of, we're willing to stop the research because it's not about the research for us, it's more about the community,” states Cliff. “The research should only be a tool to improve the community that we're living in. If we're performing research that is solely benefiting outsiders of that community, then conflict occurs, which we're trying to avoid. Not to say we're perfect, but this is our goal and this is something I take very seriously as a scientist here in Hawai‘i.”

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THE GATHERERS Philip Kukuilani Keli‘iho‘omalu-Garcia and Naniali‘i Welch-Keli‘iho‘omalu

here is a beautiful black sand beach and baby blue water bay called Kaimū in Kalapana on the southeastern side of Hawai‘i Island that is no longer there. In Hawaiian, Kaimū means “gathering at the ocean” to watch surfing. The waves of Kaimū Bay were legendary with many surfers coming from the other Hawaiian islands to visit the area during the summer months and ride the south swells at a surf spot called “Drain Pipes.” Kaimū was also a rich fishing ground for ka ‘Ohana Keli‘iho‘omalu (the Keli‘iho‘omalu Family), its waters teeming with fish like Aholehole (Kuhlia sandvicensis), ‘Ū‘ū (Myripristis berndti and Myripristis amaena) and Moi (Polydactylus sexfilis). In 1990, the Hawaiian fire goddess, Pele, took Kaimū, cutting off access to the town and covering the beach with lava. ‘Ohana Keli‘iho‘omalu had a family home in Kaimū – the last house at the end of the road. A house that Philip Kukuilani Keli‘iho‘omalu-Garcia (Kukui) remembers fondly. "It was so nice, the beach was like right there, probably 100 yards away from our house so we were always down there, down in Kaimū," reminisces Kukui. "We used to go to Drain Pipes, another black sand beach down the road and just holoholo all around."

In Hawaiian culture, itʻs bad luck to literally say youʻre “going fishing” because the superstition is that the fish will hear you coming. Instead, Kanaka Maoli say theyʻre going to “holoholo” which means “to go for a walk, ride, or sail” so the fish wonʻt know youʻre coming. Many Native Hawaiians from the Puna area of Hawai‘i Island also believe that when there is a lava flow itʻs Pele on the move with an intention for the ‘āina (that which feeds us). According to Kukui, itʻs hard to not have the Kaimū he knows from his youth anymore, but it was ultimately a good thing that Pele took over the area because it was getting overcrowded. Such is life for the kanaka maoli that live on the same island as the fire goddess. Although the fishing grounds he knew as a young man are no longer accessible, that didnʻt stop Kukui from lawai‘a (fishing). The 51-year-oldʻs preferred method of fishing is ‘upena ho'olei (throw net). According to Kukui, the throw net allows him to target specific kinds of fish and to gather only what he needs to provide for his loved ones or a family gathering like a baby lū‘au (feast), graduation party or funeral. “We just gather what [fish] we need and then leave the [fish] alone for the next time,” says Kukui. “So many people nowadays just take and they donʻt preserve [the fish] and itʻs a sad thing. 38

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If we caught plenty [fish] then we would give it to the ‘ohana, everything was about sharing back then. Whoever needs it, everybody just helps out.” Now that Kaimū is no more, Kukui and his brother, Prince, go holoholo at some of the coastline grounds of the Volcano National Park. Itʻs a long hike across jagged fields of lava to get to the fishing holes, and it feels like an even longer hike out when you have to carry out a bunch of fish.

ccording to Kukuiʻs daughter, Naniali‘i Welch-Keli‘iho‘omalu (Nani) one of her earliest visceral memories of the ocean was going fishing with her dad, uncle and cousins at ‘Āpua Point. Since ‘Ohana Keli‘iho‘omalu is from the Kalapana area on Hawai‘i Island their family and other kanaka maoli families have Native Hawaiian gathering rights to hike-in, camp and fish at the Hawai‘i Volcano National Park. The hike to ‘Āpua Point is approximately 10.6 kilometers from the Puna Coast Trailhead, which was quite the trek for a child. "That was such a memory being a seven year old and having to walk in these dark lava fields for what felt like hours because you're a kid,” says Nani. “At ‘Āpua it felt like such an oasis because there's white sand and all these little tide pools and we spent two days down there just gathering and fishing. My dad

and uncles would go throw net, catch fish, and they would leave the fish inside a small tide pool for us kids to watch to make sure the fish wouldn't get away if they were alive. That was also the first time I saw dolphins and tried ‘opihi." Nani, 25, fondly remembers that fishing trip as the first time she actually saw her dad as a lawai‘a in person. Before then it was only pictures of Kukui fishing and stories of how her dad and her uncles would gather large amounts of fish, ‘opihi and ‘a‘ama crabs for a family party. Furthermore, how ‘Ohana Keli‘iho‘omalu would only take what they needed for their family from the ocean. There is a commonly used ‘Ōlelo Noe‘au (Hawaiian Proverb) that states: ma ka hana ka ‘ike (learn by doing). During that first fishing trip Nani learned about only taking whatʻs necessary in order to keep the resource healthy. It was a lesson on how to foster a reciprocal relationship with ‘āina so that the kanaka maoli can live harmoniously with all other beings. This philosophy of only taking what you need is something she practices when she is gathering content as a professional photographer. “With photography you should only take as much as you need because we live in such an age where everything is kind of over-saturated especially with social media,” explains Nani. “A [photogenic] spot blows up [on a social media post], then you start seeing it everywhere, then people start showing you how you get to this spot, and getting tutorials on the spot. We don't need to be taking that much from our home because it hurts it. It hurts us and it brings more people which can damage the place that we love and damage these really special and sometimes sacred spots.”

Philip Kukuilani Keli‘iho‘omalu-Garcia

THE WATERMAN Isaac Ikaika Kaluhikaua Michaels

have world-class waves every day, but there is something to ride and I think that's what shaped me [as a waterman]." According to Ikaika, on average there are probably less than 10 days a year that Hilo is completely flat to the point where there is not a single wave to ride. That means there are approximately 355 days annually where there is surf and Ikaika has a craft for everyone of those days no matter the conditions. "I'm looking to maximize my fun on an everyday kind of basis,” he explains. “I'm not out there trying to show off, rip it up and get some clips for Instagram. I just want to have fun so whatever I can ride to have fun on is what I'm going to ride. I think being able to surf every single day of the week with the waves that we have really helps fine tune that [waterman approach].”

kaika is a shining example of a waterman – an ocean lover that can ride all types of wave-riding equipment with style and expertise as well as fish, dive and paddle a canoe. To the waterman, style matters more than ripping when it comes to surfing. The kind of surfing Ikaika finds aesthetically appealing is very Kanaka Maoli because itʻs all about dancing with the wave instead of trying to overpower it. “The [wave riders] that can surf any [board] on the drop off dime, ripping on whatever craft is good surfing, but also done with a good style where youʻre not destroying the wave or going out there and tearing the wave apart,” explains Ikaika. “The good wave riders itʻs like theyʻre making love with the wave, theyʻre touching it, theyʻre feeling it and when the wave tells you to do a turn like this over here or you should get barreled over here or maybe you should just stand here and enjoy this. To see people riding stylishly as the wave presents itself is really good surfing to me.”

For Ikaika Kaluhikaua, itʻs all about fun when it comes to the ocean. That is why the 39-year-old waterman has a wave-riding craft for every type of ocean condition. His quiver is approximately 70 pieces of surfing equipment deep, amassed from years of collecting and building things to he‘e nalu (wave slide) with. Handplanes. Surf Mats. Logs. Alai‘a. Fishes. Shortboards. Stand-Up Paddle Boards. Tow boards. Foil boards. You name it. If itʻs made for riding a wave then Ikaika is going to have one. The only water sports Ikaika didnʻt get into was windsurfing and kite surfing because of the lack of windy conditions in Hilo. Some may call his collection obsessive, but for those that know the surf of the eastern shores of Hawai‘i Island they would call Ikaikaʻs massive quiver necessary if you want to ride everyday. "So growing up on the east side of Hilo, Hawai‘i we're in a bay, we get Tradewinds and weʻre known for our rain, rivers and streams," says Ikaika. "With the Tradewinds blowing off the ocean with the fetch itʻs constantly bringing us waves [...] so that being said it's not like we

Itʻs all about sharing the stoke of surfing for Ikaika, which is really sharing aloha from a Hawaiian perspective. “Share the stoke, share the aloha,” he says. “More so nowadays I think the aloha is there, but in this changing times itʻs hard to find it, you really gotta look, itʻs not like the hula dancers giving you lei off the airplane.”

A P E R T U R E

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NEWS & EVENTS

Jack Robinson and Isabella Nichols Photo: WSL/ Dunbar Winners Jack Robinson and Isabella Nichols. WSL / Dunbar

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Australians Jack Robinson and Isabella Nichols Win Margaret River Pro Isabella Nichols (AUS) and Jack Robinson (AUS) won the Margaret River Pro, the fifth and final stop before the Mid-season Cut on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT).

The Women’s final saw a back and forth battle between Nichols and Bryan, but in the end it was the smooth frontside of Nichols that saw her claim her maiden CT victory, and save her spot on the elite level. “This moment doesn’t even feel real,” Nichols said. “I’ve dreamt about this my whole life and I feel like this is going to take a while to sink in.” For the first time in over 30 years, a West Australian

Caitlin Simmers (USA) and Callum Robson won the first stop of the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Challenger Series. “I’m so happy to win the first Challenger Series event of the year,” said Simmers. “My goals for the season are definitely to try and win the Challenger Series, I’d love to do that.”

has claimed victory at the Margaret River Pro as Jack Robinson defeated event favorite John John Florence (HAW). “Man this is amazing because I’ve had so many rounds so close here so for it to all come together feels too good,” Robinson said. “I feel so connected with this place, especially with all the support from the people here.”

The men’s Final saw an allAustralian matchup between Callum Robson and Sheldon Simkus. The win marks Robson’s first Challenger Series victory, following his breakthrough second-place result on the CT at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach last month. “It’s been a big day for me and an amazing event with fantastic surf and to

Women’s Final Results: 1 - Isabella Nichols (AUS) 12.94 2 - Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 10.00 Semifinal: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 15.73 DEF. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.43 Isabella Nichols (AUS) 15.93 DEF. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 11.34 Men’s Final Results: 1 - Jack Robinson (AUS) 16.24 2 - John John Florence (HAW) 15.60 Semifinal Results: John John Florence (HAW) 18.90 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 11.94 Jack Robinson (AUS) 16.27 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.53

win is incredible for me,” said Robson. “The year to date has been better than I could have imagined.” Women's Final Results: 1 - Caitlin Simmers (USA) 11.86 2 - Molly Picklum (AUS) 11.27 Semifinal: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 16.50 DEF. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 7.67 Molly Picklum (AUS) 16.23 DEF. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 15.66 Men's Final Results: 1 - Callum Robson (AUS) 16.07 2 - Sheldon Simkus (AUS) 15.37 Semifinal: Sheldon Simkus (AUS) 16.33 DEF. Maxime Huscenot (FRA) 13.33 Callum Robson (AUS) 14.33 DEF. Nolan Rapoza (USA) 12.67

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NEWS & EVENTS

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Kai Martin

During a fresh summer swell, groms

from around the state met up at Kewalo Basin to compete in the NSSA Regional Championships, a qualifier for the upcoming National Championships at Huntington Beach. Not only is Regionals a great opportunity for the kids to show off their talents, it is also a wonderful family event where old friends can get together, hangout, and talk story. “It’s really fun. We get to surf good waves with nobody out, and if we get a good result we can qualify for Trestles, and we get to go surf Huntington,” said Keone Roitman, 13.

Luke Tema

By Aukai Ng & Rebecca Brenes The next generation of young Hawai’i surfers took full advantage of the opportunity. Despite only three-foot waves, many of the athletes managed to put on memorable performances by having rail and air games on point. “It’s sick out there,” said Ari Kakitsis, 14, “It’s kinda hard though. There’s not a lot of good waves but if you get a good one, you’re stoked.” Chesney Guinotte

In the Open Jr.s and Explorers 15 & under divisions, stand-outs like Haylee Boverman and Nalu Deodato climbed up the charts, taking home the trophy. However, with great maneuvers going into the 9-point range, it was Vaihiti Inso and Kai Martin who took the gold in all of their 17 & under divisions. Martin, 17, spoke of the event, “Kewalo’s is a really good contest event… There’s just so many waves and you can go right, you can go left. There’s airs on the right, it’s rippable on the left. It’s always good. There’s always waves here.” With skills beyond their years, these young rippers from Hawai’i will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with at the National Championships.

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Josh Bogle for me. It wasn’t a conscious decision to say, ‘I’m going to be an adaptive surfer.’ It was like, ‘Okay, I need to figure out how to get back in the water…’ any adaptation is just whatever it takes for you to get in the water.”

A DA P T I V E S U R F E R S AC A D E M Y

The Adaptive Surfers Academy was founded by Coach Chris Courtois in 2018 when he realized that adaptive athletes were not being given the same opportunities or platforms in the sport of surfing. Formerly a professional windsurfer, at thirty-one years old, his windsurfing sponsor gave him a surfboard and told him that it would change his life. Within ten years, Courtois moved his family to the North Shore of O’ahu in pursuit of a surf lifestyle and eventually began working as a coach with Access Surf, a non-profit organization with the mission of “empowering people with disabilities through accessible beach and water programs.”

By Rebecca Brenes Surfing is a unique sport that crosses the borders between humanity, uniting us under the shared experience of riding waves. Individuals from all walks of life come together in the line-up and regardless of race, age, gender, or physical limitations, the ocean does not discriminate. A bad day is a bad day, and a good day is a good one. There are many things we can learn from the ocean, but perhaps one of the best lessons we can grasp is how to adapt.

For visually impaired adaptive surfer, Aaron Paulk, one of the

Having grown up with a father that struggled with a disability, Courtois has always been empathetic to the needs of physically challenged individuals. Through his involvement with Access Surf, he realized that for adaptive surfing to progress, the community would need a better training facility than what they were being provided with. He met with athletes from around

biggest things the ocean has taught him is to accept what is present, “to not be attached to the swell… good times and bad times. To embrace whatever comes up in life and know that it’s part of our nature to embrace the presence of what is in front of us now, and operate with that.” At some point in the water, just as in life, we will inevitably be faced with less than ideal conditions. If we can remain present and learn to adapt in the ocean, then we can take that skill into the most inconvenient circumstances of our lives. During the HSA State Championships at Ala Moana Bowls, I had the opportunity to meet with the Adaptive Surfers Academy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and surf team made up of local and international adaptive athletes. To Eric Welton, a board member with Access Surf and one of the founders of the ASA, the term “adaptive surfer,” is a funny thing. “For me, it’s just surfing. I’m drawn to the ocean, I’m a water baby... So the fact that I lost a leg, didn’t change anything

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the world and eventually began the Adaptive Surfers Academy with the purpose of training and preparing adaptive surfers for the next level of surfing and competition. While Coach Courtois and the ASA still work very closely with Access Surf, the mission of the ASA differs in its vision to prepare and progress amateur and professional adaptive athletes for better results in competition and contest surfing. To train these surfers Coach Chris brings together athletes from around the world and they hold team practices in the form of mock heats. The team is split up into two groups and each group has the opportunity to surf a heat while the other group judges and provides feedback afterward. The ASA trains individuals of all skill levels. Some come to the academy with a surfing background, but due to recent life circumstances are adapting to a new way of surfing. Other individuals come without any prior surfing experience making water safety a crucial aspect of training. Varying levels of assistance are required for athletes to get in and out of the water and to catch waves, but some adaptive surfers are able to surf on their own. For these individuals, Courtois is able to provide coaching via the Surfline cameras and the athletes' Apple watches. Due to the extensive amount of equipment required to train adaptive athletes, I asked Courtois if technology is the reason for the recent growth in para-sports. Though new technology is

Mark "Mono"

a good asset for training, Courtois believes that acceptance is the main reason for the growth in the adaptive community. The Paralympics have been around since the 1960s but were previously typically limited to war vets. Over the past few years, media representation of the Paralympics and parasports, coupled with a mainstream push for social inclusion, have created a more inclusive culture for physically challenged individuals. Last year, Coach Courtois and three athletes were honored by the State Senate of Hawai’i for medaling at the 2021 USA Para Surf National Championships. With surfing officially on the roster for the Paralympics in 2024, and the first-ever Adaptive Surfing World Tour launching this summer, there is a lot to look forward to in the future of adaptive surfing.

n June 7-11, 2022, Access Surf will be holding its annual Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championships at Queens, Waikiki. The event will mark the first stop on the first Adaptive Surfing World Tour and will be attended by 80+ adaptive athletes from around the world. The personal goals of these athletes vary from challenging themselves to winning world titles, but many athletes find their motivation to compete through their desire to make an impact in the lives of others. Aaron Paulk describes it as the cornerstone of why he competes. “Why I'm progressing is so that I can increase my reach to the youth and to parents that are finding out that their kids are going blind or have blindness.” Quad amputee, Josh Bogle, describes the community support as camaraderie that exists beyond the beach. “There’s this community around the world where we all support each other… With Coach Chris, when he had his accident, athletes from all over the world, and us here in Hawai'i, really stood up to have his back. We appreciate what he's been doing for over a decade in the adaptive surfing world.”

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ADAPTIVE

SURFERS

ACADEMY

Adaptive Surf Academy volunteers

n February 2nd, 2022, Courtois was on his way to the Billabong Pipe Masters when he was hit on his e-bike by a Jeep on the Kamehameha Highway. The accident resulted in six surgeries and left him in the hospital for five weeks. Though challenging, Courtois has come a long way in his rehabilitation. Having now struggled with mobility challenges, he credits the incident for providing him with a greater sense of purpose in the mission of the ASA. “It's enlightened my insights for coaching these athletes. Before this, I had a really good idea of what I was doing... After six years as a volunteer with Access Surf, I learned how to become physically and mentally aware of each athlete's personal challenge. This challenge that's been put on to me has given me a challenge that I wasn't ready for, and then opened my eyes to the challenge of each one of my athletes.” At some point in life, we are all going to face circumstances that we feel we’re not prepared for. When we are confronted with these challenges we should remember these adaptive athletes and their resiliency. All we can do is accept what is present. Adaptability is, “the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions.” There’s something to be said about the kindred spirit of surfers. United by the ocean, Paulk believes, “A lot of surfers that are connected to the ocean are connected to their hearts too… It’s a really special sport that just opens people up to understand that we’re all nature and we’re all connected.” People from all walks of life find refuge in the sea and when we are willing to listen, the ocean has a lot to teach us about our humanity. VOLUNTEER Water safety and assistance are crucial aspects of adaptive surfing. Volunteers are the backbone of the Adaptive Surf Academy and Access Surf. If you are interested in volunteering you can visitcoachchris808.com or accessurf.org

Mokulele Surf Team Rider

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128 Daily Inter-Island Flights!

The Best Way to Surf More Hawai'i

I N D USTRY NOTES The Scrapper is Back!

Brisa Hennessy x Pura Vida

Makua Rothman For Honolulu City Council

Pura Vida recently welcomed Championship Tour surfer, Brisa Hennessy, to their family and we’re stoked on this more than fitting partnership (seeing that Brisa is from Costa Rica and embodies everything the brand represents). Also recently winning the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, becoming the #1 ranked female surfer and the first Costa Rican to win a CT event, it’s safe to say that big things are coming to this talented young surfer and her new partnership with Pura Vida.

Keanu Asing fought his way to the podium at Jacks Surfboards Pro, taking home the trophy for first time since 2017. We’ve got a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more of that aggressive backhand in competitions to come.

Hawaiian hammer, Makua Rothman, just recently announced his entering of local politics here on Oahu, which makes perfect sense seeing how many high-profile surfers have turned politicians with determination to make positive changes for the land and people they know best. “I decided to turn down the opportunity for any awards or money, but rather juse the international, world platform to speak about issues that were of concern to me and to my community in Hawaii.” - Statement by Makua Rothman So, will you be voting Makua for City Council?

Life of Kai - Season 2, New Episode Red Bull just dropped episode 4 of the second season of Life of Kai on their YouTube channel, entitled ‘Air Time’ where Kai breaks down his perspective of the future of big wave surfing. No spoilers here but it includes aerials.. Lots of aerials. Not only does it include aerials but the process in which this animal learned to do his rotations that’ll inevitably change the future of big wave surfing as we know it.

Josh Moniz is back in action

Good news to report that Josh Moniz is back in action and making what appears to be a full recovery after a severe surfing accident last year in Portugal. Moniz broke his neck after a savage wipeout in the powerful waves of "Supertubos." The days and weeks after the incident were of course very intense for Josh, his family, friends and fans. Luckily Josh pushed through a successful surgery and as you can see the image taken early in May, Moniz is on the mend and then some.

Seth Moniz - ‘Faces’ So far it’s been a big season for young hammer, Seth Moniz, as he’s had an epic winter season where he made it to finals at the Billabong Pipe Pro with none other than the GOAT. An emotional and tough heat had everyone stoked for the two of them as they gave surfers and fans something to talk about, simply through their surfing. Now Seth has just released Faces - Episode 1 - Hawaii; A short film highlighting his 2021-2022 winter season on the North Shore of Oahu. Tune in on YouTube if you haven’t already.

Benji Brand Joins Salty Crew We’re excited to announce that Benji Brand has joined the Salty Crew team! Benji is a South African born surfer who has been making a name for himself in the surfing world. We’re stoked to see what he’ll do with Salty Crew!

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With a wave as perfect as this thundering towards the lineup, yet not one of them is glancing in its direction, it makes you wonder what stole their attention just out of frame. Tahiti, Photo - Brian Bielmann