Kanoa Igarashi was born to be a pro surfer. Literally.
When he was in utero his surf-stoked parents packed up, moving from Japan to California to give Kanoa a crack at a wave-riding career. Fast forward 18 years and he's competing at pro surfing's highest level, nearly capturing a Pipe Masters Title in the process.
Runner-up at the 2016 Billabong Pipe Masters. Not bad for a rookie from Huntington Beach. - WSL / tony heff
When Kanoa qualified for the Championship Tour in his first attempt at the Qualifying Series in 2015, some pundits wondered if his surfing (and maturity level) was ready for the demands of the elite Tour. If his rookie season -- which featured an incredible level of synchronicity without a single loss in Round Two and a Runner Up result at the Pipe Masters -- is any indication, the wiry regular-foot looks ready to spend the next decade and a half right where he belongs...On the WSL Tour.