Kanoa Igarashi is proof that hard work pays off. All this was on show when the World Number 6 secured his maiden Championship Tour victory last year, at the Corona Bali Protected.

In fact, Igarashi is probably one of the most driven surfers on the Tour, just as he was one of the most driven kids in school -- when he would wake up for the dawn patrol almost every morning.

When he graduated to the Championship Tour is 2016, he had a wicked small-wave game, but was noticeably lacking some gravitas at more powerful locations.

Hard work paid off again, as Igarashi doubled down on his weaknesses and ironed out his kinks. As you can see in this greatest hits edit, he is throwing plenty of spray and laying down turns that are very much world-class.

Igarashi can probably thank his parents for a lot of this work ethic and drive. If anyone was ever born to be a professional surfer, it's him.

His father Tsutomu, "Tom," grew up surfing in Japan and is a huge fan of the sport. When Tom and his wife, Misa, found out they had a son on the way, they moved to California with the singular goal of giving him a shot at surfing's biggest dream

Today, Igarashi is a real force on Tour. He's qualified for the Olympics. And is a bona fide celebrity in Japan. And that with his drive as his greatest asset, there's a lot more in store.

World Surf League
Download it for free on the App store. Download it for free on Google Play.