Crosby Colapinto Embraces A Rite Of Passage At The Mexican Pipeline

This week the wait to drive across the U.S./Mexico border in San Diego was 10 hours long. But for the savvy, wave-hungry American surf traveler, the tiny Tijuana airport offers a quick, cheap opportunity for unlocking the myriad of opportunities south of the border.

Earlier this summer, San Clemente's Crosby Colapinto and a small crew of his friends, including Jett Schillingand Kade Matson, cracked the code and made a quick strike down to Puerto Escondido for an early season run of swell.

Like most trips to Puerto, they scored some memorable barrels and copped some memorable beatings.

"It felt good to be doing this again," said Crosby on Instagram.

For the sake of context, the talent that consistently emerges from San Clemente has long used the power of Mainland Mexico to hone their skills. Greg and Rusty Long are prime examples of local boys that invested countless hours at the Mexican Pipeline, and in turn, were paid off with big-wave skills that paid out huge dividends around the world as their respective careers blossomed.

Crosby and his older brother, Griffin Colapinto, have been pushing themselves at Lowers all their lives, but as "Croz" matures and seizes his moment, it's hard-fought sessions at spots like Puerto that will propel him to the next level. It's always good to not only see a young surfer face the challenge of heaving beachbreaks, but embrace it wholeheartedly.

It seems only a matter of time before joins Crosby his brother on the Championship Tour. And given the recent history of brotherly duos on Tour -- Andy and Bruce Irons and CJ and Damien Hobgood -- should that come to pass, we're all in for one heck of a show.