Surfing
Kanoa Igarashi makes the grade
We caught up with Kanoa Igarashi as the Huntington Beach local prepares for life on the world tour.
Kanoa Igarashi is a prodigious surfer who has seemingly been a talented grommet on the scene for the best part of a decade, then suddenly shot up in height, packed on some pounds and qualified for the world tour, almost accidentally.
Igarashi couldn't be more thrilled by "the best competitive year of my life," and we couldn't be prouder of our Huntington Beach export, who finished seventh on the qualifying series, after making the semis at the US Open and sealing his place at the big-league table with a huge win in Brazil.
We caught up with Kanoa for a chat a short time after he'd returned home from Hawaii.
First the world tour, next up Waimea?
© Trevor Moran
Kanoa, you just qualified for the World Tour! Congrats! How do you get official confirmation? Email? Do you get given a Jeep?
Thanks! I just got the email the other day asking what number I want on my jersey, so that's when it really started sinking in. I wish I got a car, I’m still waiting for that message.
It must be an amazing feeling knowing all of your hard work has paid off, how did you celebrate?
I haven’t had an official celebration, but honestly just coming home to my friends and family has been enough for me. I’m constantly stoked because every day I have somebody come up and congratulate me, and it really reminds me of how special this all is.
Haha, yeah I don’t know what happened! Instead of having that big goal of qualifying in my head going into contests, I had a goal of winning each of those contests, and that really helped get me to where I am now. Everybody says to “take it heat by heat', but that's truly what worked for me this year.
Kanoa’s pot of gold
© Trevor Moran
At what point did you first start to think you were in with a chance of making the grade?
After the US Open. I picked up a quarter-final in Ballito in South Africa, then I got that semi-final finish in Huntington which really got me thinking, and other people talking. After that I told myself, “maybe I can do this", and started to really believe it was possible.
You’ve got a lot taller and heavier this year, have you been training?
Yeah I’ve been working hard when I'm not competing, everything from my technique to my physical training. I want to be more than ready for the tour.
Have you ever competed in a world tour event before?
No, I never have. I’ve been around them since I was 12, I've probably been to about 30 events around the world over that time, watching them and being around the vibe. It's going to feel weird being there and competing, rather than just trying to get into the athletes' area and getting kicked out all the time!
It’s going to feel weird being there and competing, rather than just trying to get into the athletes’ area and getting kicked out all the time!
What are you most looking forward to about the tour?
Everything! I’m going to be soaking in every moment, and hopefully learning from my mistakes and my weaknesses. I’m also looking forward to surfing the waves I grew up playing on the Kelly Slater Pro Surfer video game, and without hundreds of people in the water.
What do you think your competitive strengths and weaknesses are?
I think my strength would be the ability to learn from my mistakes fast. I’ll do whatever I can to be the best so I'll put in the work to become a contender to win Teahupo'o and places like that.
Is there anyone in particular you’re looking forward to surfing against?
Of course it would be Kelly Slater. I’m over the moon to even be on the same tour that he is. I'd be so happy if I got to surf against him, and even more happy if I could beat him.
Have any tour surfers given you any advice? You must have been bugging your hometown peer Brett Simpson for years, right?
Ummm... kind of. When I've hung at world tour events I’ve always been staying at the Quiksilver house, so the guys would give me some bits and pieces here and there, but I learned the most just by watching how they act and prepare themselves. I’m going to start bugging Brett for some advice now though, for sure!
What’s the plan from now until Snapper?
Train, enjoy my time off, film for a little project I’m doing and just surf as much as I can.
Is this the best Christmas present ever?
Well, a world title would be a better present, but this is the best gift I’ve ever got so far!
Enjoy it Kanoa, thanks a lot.
Thank you, and also big thanks to everybody who has ever supported me, it really means a lot!