Showing posts with label Kanoa Igarashi. Show all posts
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The Legendary Qualification of Kanoa Igarashi | Red Bull Surfing

Competing on the WSL Championship Tour might seem like a dream but for the athletes who eat, breathe and sleep surfing’s Major League, things don’t always come easy. In 2022, Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi experienced the highs and lows of a young man who has made no secret of his desire to hoist surfing’s most prestigious trophy, consequences be damned. Tour life’s a rollercoaster though, and whether Kanoa’s wearing the yellow jersey at Bells or coming up against wildcards old (Mick Fanning) and new (Mateus Herdy), he will never let himself take anything for granted and won’t take his foot off the gas till he’s reached his final destination. 

As Kanoa travels from Hawaii to Europe, Australia to El Salvador, Brazil, South Africa, Tahiti and beyond, it is all done with one target in mind: the WSL Finals at Trestles, in San Clemente, California. Raised just up the road in Huntington Beach, there is nothing Kanoa would wish for more in life than to claim the number one spot in front of friends and family. Although, his peers are an incredibly talented collection, driven by the same hunger and dealing with the same lessons and hurdles as the athletic natural-footer. 

Chapters is a fly-on-the wall look into the day-to-day life of an elite surfer and his motley entourage. Hit play now to join Kanoa and co. as they circle the globe, honing in on success but soaking up their spectacular surroundings along the way. Enjoy.

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Kanoa Igarashi on a Beyond the Lines Short

In 2021 Japanese superstar Kanoa Igarashi came back hungrier than ever in pursuit of his maiden WSL Championship Tour title. Beyond The Lines takes us behind the scenes on Kanoa’s journey.
 
Kanoa Igarashi is the quintessential global citizen. Japanese, but having grown up in Huntington Beach, California, these days Kanoa spends as much time living in Portugal as he does anywhere else on earth. He speaks four languages (and counting), and since claiming a maiden WSL Championship Tour victory in Bali in 2019 the natural footer's star has shot into the stratosphere. 
 
His success in Indonesia couldn't have been timed better; along with close friend, travel partner and videographer Tanner Carney, Kanoa had just started filming an unnamed, fly on the wall look at his life on the road. As he hoisted the trophy over Balinese black sand Beyond The Lines was born, with an opening episode that couldn't have been better scripted. 
 
As we all know too well things went a little awry in 2020, and after an entertaining opening series Beyond The Lines, much like the world itself, was momentarily paused. A year later and although not yet smooth sailing, the world slowly started to right itself. The WSL pulled together a slimmed down version of the Championship Tour and the 2020 Games were held in Tokyo, which for hometown hero Kanoa was the greatest opportunity yet to put his name up in lights. 
 
Our man Tanner tagged along for the ride once again, from the season opener at Pipeline in Hawaii on to Australia and through Mexico and the US, all via Japan and the Tokyo Games. To say the result is entertaining would be selling the 40-minute edit short, Kanoa's trust in Tanner is on full display as he puts himself out there and lets his friend do the rest.
 
Don't just take out word for it though, please hit play and join us in an extended study into the rollercoaster life of an elite athlete at the top of the game, fighting for success in an unpredictable word. We love it, and hope you do too. Enjoy.

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Kanoa Igarashi's Behind-The-Scenes World Tour Vlog Is Back! | Beyond The Lines S2E1



Step inside Kanoa's day-to-day in Europe as he prepares for the 2020-21 WSL World Tour season, then follow him as he jets off to Hawaii to kick things off on Oahu. From cold pits in Portugal to poke bowls and Pipe bombs on the North Shore, you won't get a more insider view of life on tour than this.
Video from Red Bull Surfing.

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SILENCE || Where is Kanoa?


From Tanner Carney: "We filmed the Hawaii part right before the pandemic hit and then we were able to escape during quarantine to Tahiti for the end section. Kanoa wanted to surf these waves because he knew where his weakness was and wanted to put himself in the environment that he needed the most work on. We were over sitting at home locked in and needed to get out. Luckily a sneaky swell was coming through Tahiti and we got the next flight out. The entire video consisted of one week in Hawaii and a week filming in Tahiti. I think it was our first trip that we didn't post anything on social media and just laid under the radar, in "silence".  We are both stoked on how the edited turned out and it just might be my best piece of work yet".

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THICK and HEAVY


Like all directors, Bruno and Mariana Dias took advantage of the confinement to favor editing and not filming, and thus make a small order in their files. And it is with this retrospective that they can allow themselves to affirm that these two minutes of "heavy and thick" waves represent Portugal in its best light.

We can only agree when we see these perfectly offshore conditions that inflate sometimes violent barrels in the best Portuguese locations. Vanlife Productions' cameras immortalized the elite of Portuguese surfing with Frederico Morais, Nic Von Rupp or Rafael Tapia, as well as prestigious guests like Tom Lowe or Kanoa Igarashi. And you, would you have surfed or filmed?

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Kanoa Igarashi Talks 2019 World Surf League


Igarashi was born to be a pro surfer. His father Tsutomu “Tom” grew up surfing in Japan as a huge fan of the sport. When Tom and his wife Misa found out Kanoa was on the way, they up and moved to California with the singular goal of giving Kanoa a shot at his dad’s dream. Speaking very little English, they moved to Huntington Beach, California, which is globally known as Surf City USA. While they struggled to make ends meet, they began pushing Kanoa into waves at age three.

Their tireless sacrifice paid off. Kanoa became a top ranked amateur, and qualified for the Tour in 2015. At the age of 18, he was the youngest rookie on Tour in 2016, but he raised eyebrows with the maturity of his approach.

He collected more Round One wins than any surfer on Tour that year (he didn’t lose a single time before Round Three) and he shocked everyone with his remarkable runner-up finish at Pipeline. All the while, Igarashi hedged his bets on the Qualifying Series.

He nabbed wins at the Hang Loose Pro and Pantin Classic in 2016, and in 2017 he took an emotional victory lap at the US Open of Surfing at his home break in Huntington Beach. He’s double qualified (requalifying through the CT and QS) for two straight seasons and all signs point to him getting more dangerous with time.

Igarashi, who holds dual citizenship, is proudly representing Japan on the global stage, as he looks to surf for them during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. He’s already a household name there, having starred in a reality TV show since the age of 11. Japanese TV have been following him while on Tour, and he’s gaining fame in China, Taiwan and Korea. For competitions coming up soon check out http://www.worldsurfleague.com/

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No Contest Portugal 2017


Video from Red Bull

Locals and legends, such as Tiago Pires and Ross Clarke-Jones, take us on a guided tour from Nazaré to Peniche, as No Contest hits Portugal.

The 2017 European leg of the world tour sure was a fun one. After scoring beach break perfection in France our No Contest crew loaded the wagons and rolled 1,000km south-west across Spain in the direction of Portugal's west coast, and the next event at Supertubos.

In European surfing's sizzling hot capital of Peniche our man Alex Laurel caught up with Portugal's first world tour competitor Tiago Pires, as he worked with protégé and event wildcard Vasco Ribeiro. The pair went blow-for-blow in firing right-handers, with a cameo by 2015 world champion Adriano de Souza, in a rousing affirmation that the future of Portuguese surfing is in safe hands.

After the event was run and won, American third place finisher Kanoa Igarashi, who spends a large portion of his year in Portugal thanks to a local love interest, was keen to explore the region and linked up with Australian legend Ross Clarke-Jones for a tour of Red Bull's big wave monster garage at Nazaré. Joining forces with Andrew Cotton, the two heavy water maestros ran world tour sophomore Igarashi through a crash course in the mechanics of the world's wildest beach, Praia do Norte.

Kanoa Igarashi lining up a huge Portuguese wall © RICARDO BRAVO





That's Europe in the books for another year. The world title is still up for grabs after an incredible leg, and John John Florence, Gabriel Medina, Jordy Smith and Julian Wilson are all in the hunt as we head to Hawaii. No Contest will be hitting Hawaii, and we sure hope you'll be joining us for all the action. See you on the North Shore soon!

'Portuguese Tiger' Pires shows why he's top dog © RICARDO BRAVO

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Radical Times on the Gold Coast


They came from every corner of the globe. Boardriders united by the mountain and the wave. Traveling from Australia, America, Indonesia, New Zealand, Mexico, Hawaii, France, Morocco, Tahiti and Spain. 16 frothed-out international grommets here to share the line up with their heros.

The future of Championship Tour surfing; Mikey Wright, Zeke Lau and Leo Fioravanti. Current World Title runners; Jeremy Flores, Matt Banting, Wiggolly Dantas and Kanoa Igarashi.

The legends of the sport; Matt Hoy and Mark Richards, here to make sure surfing still has rock & roll. Power surfers, big wave surfers, and skaters who are now committed surfers... all on Gold Coast shores.

They came to get stoked and feel the high. The same high we all get from the ocean. The one we get from the cheer of the crowd or the hoot of a friend down the line, just as we drop in. And although the salt has washed off, the scaffolding has been pulled down, and the crowds are returning to normal, the buzz is still here…they were some Radical Times.



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Kanoa Igarashi in the 2016 WSL Championship Tour

Kanoa Igarashi confirmed in the 2016 WSL Championship Tour

The 18-year-old surfer from Huntington Beach won the 2015 Mahalo Surf Eco Festival, in Brazil. Igarashi defeated Connor O'Leary in the final held at Praia da Tiririca, in Itacaré, and confirmed a golden spot among the elite of surfing.

"I can't believe what I'm feeling; this is amazing. It's the biggest win in my life and the best year of my life. I can't believe it; I'm so happy. Things are a lot better for me now," expressed Kanoa Igarashi.

The American surfer only sealed the deal with three minutes remaining in the final. Igarashi used his aerial skills and landed a full rotation air reverse scored at 7.40 points. Seconds later, he added a 7.57 for two airs in the same wave.

"There's a lot less pressure and less events, so I don't have to worry as much anymore. Now I can enjoy things a little more and relax, but I still want to do well in Maresias. I'm loving Brazil and I love being here, so I can't wait for Maresias too."

2015 Mahalo Surf Eco Festival | Final

1. Kanoa Igarashi (USA), 14.97
2. Connor O'Leary (AUS), 14.74


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