Kalani Robb (February 2, 1977-)

The Largest Surfing Encyclopedia

---

A-Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

---

Advertisement

The opening sequence in Good Times, installment four of Taylor Steele's chronicling of the New School, rates a double take. Blink and you'll miss it, but on the closing ride, Kalani Robb speeds down a head-high Rocky Point left and launches a perfectly seamless 360 air. Easily 2 feet over the lip, it's so smooth and quick that you hardly realize he's done it. Even to Old School stalwarts, it was a wake-up call.

Maikalani Kaiolohia Robb was adopted by mainland charger Richard Robb and his wife, Linda, after the couple migrated to Hawaii in the mid-'70s. By the age of seven, the twiggish Robb had claimed his first surfing victory in a Haleiwa menehune event. Through the late '80s, the media took notice of him, and you couldn't surf Rocky Point without marveling at the diminutive goofyfoot whizzing around the lineup.

As an amateur, Robb reached every fathomable peak: the Nationals, U.S. Championships, OP Junior and capped off with the World Junior Title in Brazil's 1994 World Games. He shot through the WQS as an amateur and, in 1995, joined the big leagues as an 18-year-old surefire future champion.

Robb was the youngest surfer on tour as he joined his own New School heroes and close friends, Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian and Rob Machado. After earning Rookie of the Year honors, he rose to seventh the following season (as well as fourth in the Surfer Poll) and was closing the gap on Slater. But, unfortunately, Robb's mind was not on the task, and he languished as a middle seed WCT surfer for years.

He still performed at home, winning the 1997 Backdoor Shootout to mark his ascension from Rocky Point to Pipeline. But, back on tour, various distractions -- from motocross injuries to near deadly malaria to losing his longtime girlfriend to the occasional indifference -- kept Kalani from the winner's circle until 2000's Rio Marathon Surf Pro.
Finally, in 2005, after 10 years on tour, Robb finally retired, his 6th place finish in 2001 the closest he'd come to a world title.

It was a sad day for the North Shore. Kalani seemed to be the clear heir to Oahu-bred champions Sunny Garcia and Michael Ho, before the Irons brotherswould rise to spark an outer island renaissance that produced the likes of Roy Powers, Dustin Barca, Dusty Payne and Clay Marzo.

But, despite his unfulfilled competitive promise, Robb's surfing was always cutting edge and lightning quick. And even though he pushed his creativity into a mainstream acting career -- appearing in movies like Blue Crush and Forgetting Sarah Marshall -- it's surf flicks where his skills always shine best. And as long as he features prominently in Steele's videos like Stranger than Fiction and the Drive Thru Series, he can look forward to plenty of good times in the water.

-- Jason Borte (updated, March 2010)

Click here to find all the Kalani Robb photos and editorial on Surfline.