13-Year-Olds Willow Hardy, Kai Hall and Erin Brooks Push The Boundaries

Willow Hardy, Kai Hall and Erin Brooks have all recently become teenagers. They also have recently been getting waves of a heft and magnitude that seem incredible for kids that make Jackson Dorian look old.

Willow Hardy is a Western Australian grommet who comes from one of the best known surfing families in the state. Her grandfather Tony was an Australian Champion who pioneered the Margaret River area's waves in the 1970s. Her father Gene and uncles Brett and Josh all represented the State in surfing, while her other uncle Ryan is one of Australia's best ever bodyboarders.

Basically the Hardy's have been well known for charging West Australia's heaviest waves for the last four decades. Willow is continuing that lineage. Her efforts at Gnaraloo this winter has been turning heads and this bomb, described by Willow as the wave of her life, was her biggest and best so far.

Further north, but riding the same Indonesian Ocean swells, another 13-year-old Kai Hall has been tackling Bali's best, and heaviest waves. The South African born grommet has been patrolling the lineups of Uluwatu and Padang, and the sight of the helmet clad natural footer threading the biggest sets on his backhand has become increasingly common place. He's been call the most tubed 13-year-old on the planet, and with this clip you can see why.

Finally Erin Brooks, who we recently highlighted as just one of a number of talented Maui based surfers, has been keeping her eye in over summer with a trip to Nicaragua. Having already surfed Pipeline, and grown up at Honolua Bay, it's no surprise that the she has taken to the powerful beachbreaks with style.

Again it's worth remembering that all three surfers were born just as the first iPhone was released. Their efforts illustrate the performance levels, and the bravery, that young surfers are hitting these days. Just where they will take surfing is anyone's guess.