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ON A MISSION
Hawaii Surf Team heads to Ecuador with ISA gold on their minds
By:
Kevin Whitton
Photos: Photos: FreeSurf Magazine
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February 24, 2009
14185 visits
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On an overcast day on Kauai's northern shore, a pack of tanned young surfers sprint up the beach, pull up short at some sticks in the sand and book it back to the starting line.
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Welcome to day one of the Hawaii World Team practice. The team is stacked and Rainos, flanked by assistant coached Kahea Hart and Megan Abubo, are pleased with their prodigy: the White Lightning of Hawai'i Tanner Hendrickson, the stylish Kyle Galtes, Dylan Goodale -- the Angry-Inch and the biggest and strongest of the Under 18 team Albee Layer. First-time Junior Team surfer Kaimana Jaquias, Mighty Mouse Keanu Asing, smooth surfer Matty Costa and competition magnet Ezekiel Lau make up the 16 and Under Team. The innovative Malia Manuel, dark horse goofyfoot Alessa Quizon, competition savvy Leila Hurst and Kauai style-bandit Nage Melamed round out the Under 18 Women's Team. The 2009 ISA Games, an international competition dating back to 1964, will be held this March in Ecuador. In preparation for the event, Rainos, Kahea and Megan plan to put their team through the grinder, honing their beachbreak skills among Hawaii's best sandbars and increasing their physical stamina and conditioning. The landscape in Ecuador is arid and the climate hot and dry, so the competitors need to be prepared and in top shape. "I want the kids to understand, they're going for a world title, so why not be like a world championship fighter?" says Assistant Coach Kahea Hart. "Get yourself in the best condition, so that you know when you hit the water that you've worked harder than anyone." Kahea coached kids through six heats in one day at last year's event and wants them to be firing from horn to horn, no matter what. "My goal is to get the kids to dig deep, find what they are made of, and win." "I love the experience of training with everybody and my surfing, the whole team's surfing really, is getting so sharp. I think we have a good chance of winning in Ecuador."
-- Keanu Asing
The surfers who represent the very best Hawaii has to offer are looking razor sharp to say the least. The 12 handpicked young men and women know training is necessary and that they'll have to work hard in and out of the water to reach their athletic and competitive goals. "Yeah, the training's been pretty tough," laughs Alessa Quizon. "It really woke us up as far as how ready we have to be for this event. There are a lot of good teams out there. Australia's always been a tough competitor, but I think we can win this year." Fifteen-year-old Keanu Asing reflects the same sentiment, "I'm so excited to represent Hawaii at the ISA Games," says the Ewa Beach standout. "I love the experience of training with everybody and my surfing, the whole team's surfing really, is getting so sharp. I think we have a good chance of winning in Ecuador." Not only are the surfers excited to raise the bar on their surfing and compete internationally, but the Olympic-sanctioned event employs a team format, something the young surfers are not accustomed to in the ranks of amateur and junior pro events. "It's such a different scene from your regular contest," says 2008 U.S. Open Champion Malia Manuel. "There's 30 different teams all competing in the same event. The team competition is very unique. Although you're competing as individuals, you are adding points to your team and trying to win together." Coach Rainos Hayes knows the benefit of teamwork and hopes to instill a sense of place and pride in his disciples through surfing and their Hawai'i heritage. "One of the unique things for the Hawaii team is that we come from a close knit 'ohana background. A lot of the kids on other teams may be more spread out and not know each other," reflects Rainos. "Hawaii has always had it's own team. There's a lot of pride in Hawaii and for the kids that represent our unique island nation. This is their chance to operate as a team and get away from surfing as an individualistic sport, to be mindful and support each other." With hard-line training, expert coaching and a crop of the best young surfers in the Pacific (if not the world) the ambassadors of aloha are looking strong to bring home the gold. MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |