Hawaii is the cornerstone of surfing around the world. When one speaks of Hawaii and surfing, they are generally referring to the island of Oahu, but the other islands, like Maui and Kauai, also have 5-star quality… they’re just a little more hidden and protected by the locals. The north shore of Oahu is seven miles of miracle; it plays host to several of the most respected waves in the world.
Staying in the Volcom house in Hawaii means taking on the most ferocious wave in the world. In February, March, and April, we met up with several Latino surfers who are regulars on the islands. The faces were many: from Felipe Suarez on his second trip to Matias Segura, Lele Usuna , Nahuel Amalfitano , Cali Muñoz, Carlos Goncalves , Miguel Tudela , Cristobal de Col and Gabriel Villaran, who are regulars.
If a surfer goes to Hawaii and earns a place in the lineup, then there’s nothing more to prove. It’s where people like Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Derek Ho, and Tom Carroll earned their stripes. To some of these guys, earning a place in the most difficult lineup in the world is extremely important.
This year I saw an evolution in Santiago Muniz. He was charging bigger waves than ever before, and stepped up his aerial game, surfing with power and his own unique style. Carlitos Muñoz is earning his place with his aggressive style and impossible tubes. The Peruvian, Miguel Tudela, showed his youthful courage in large waves, and Felipe Suarez had his way with Off the Wall and Pipeline, returning home with a lesson in tube-riding impossible to get anywhere else in the world.
Then there are the big wave surfers, like Gabriel Villaran and Ramon Navarro. They’ve been invited to the Eddie, which is historic to Latino surfers. It was amazing to have Tai Van Dyke, Kai Borg, and all the heads at the Volcom house welcome us with open arms. They even organized a barbecue–we laughed with each other while Pipeline exploded through the darkness.
Hawaii is a magical place, full of energy, yet so dangerous.
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