Corky: Huntington Beach family shares their love of surfing, aloha spirit

Through the decades, Orange County has been home to many of the great “surfing families:” The Hoffmans, the Alters, the Sizemores, the Calhouns, the Fletchers, on and on … it’s a great place to both surf and raise a family.

Today I wanna talk about one of the biggest and coolest Surf Ohanas (Hawaiian word for family) that currently live and thrive right here in Huntington Beach. The Pais.

This is a huge family and they all surf, work and play together. It’s amazing.

At this summer’s induction ceremony for the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, of which Aaron Pai is the host of each year, and they were foolish enough to give me the microphone, I couldn’t help but notice and point out, “They got more Pais out here than Marie Callender’s.” It’s true.

Aaron Pai, the dad, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. The family moved to California when he was a kid and he became a surfer.

There is a huge difference between “became a ‘surfer’” and “learned to surf.” Aaron (AP is what everybody calls him) is a true, full-blooded “SURFER.” He also owns Huntington Surf & Sport. At this point I am going to let him tell it in his own words.

“I fell in love with surfing. It was 1968 and I got to see legends like David Nuuhiwa, Corky Carroll, Dwight Dunn, Carl Hayward, Bob Hurley charge Northside. Every summer I got to stay at Grandma Choi’s. She owned some apartments in Waikiki and I surfed Pops, Threes, Canoes

“(I) surfed all day … then I would come home to Grandma Choi’s and she would have a huge dinner prepared where everyone was welcomed! Everyone was welcomed at Grandma Choi’s!

“She taught me what “aloha spirit” was all about! Grandma Choi was a small woman with a huge heart!

“As a teenager I surfed Northside every day … saw surf movies at the surf theater … camped out at the cliffs at 16 years old … at School I wrote stories about surfing … and dreamed of owning a surf shop.

“Fast forward to 1978 and that is when the first Huntington Surf & Sport opened on 15th Street and PCH in Huntington Beach. I was surfing Northside and got hired out in the water to work at Huntington Surf & Sport. I was the first person to be hired at HSS and earned $2.65 per hour. I sold surf wax, surfboards, wetsuits.

“They offered to sell the business to me. With the help of my mom and dad – my mom (was) a teacher and my dad (was) a structural engineer – I borrowed $60,000 and my dream of owning a surf shop became reality! I was stoked to be able to take my love for surfing and build it into the walls, foundation and all of Huntington Surf & Sport.

“I was also stoked to take Grandma Choi’s “aloha spirit” and share it with all the guests that walk through our doors at HSS!”

In 1985, Aaron Pai married his wife, Sher, and the couple had Lindsay, Trevor, Taylor and Ashlyn Pai, who all have worked at the store. And that is when the family really began to grow and Aaron continued:

“Then, Lindsay married Scotty. Trevor married Jenna. Taylor married Delany and Ashlyn is engaged to Alrik. Lindsay and Scotty have four kids: Rosie, Izzy, Goldie and Sid. Trevor and Jenna have three kids: Rooney, Toby, Murphy. Taylor and Delany have three kids: Finn, Jones, Zowie.

“That makes 20 of us in DA PAI FAMILY! We all share a love for the ocean and surfing. Surfing is our life. We are a Surfing Family!

“Today, Sid is the youngest (5 years old) and charges the waves and I am the oldest and still surfing today!

“This past summer, the Pai Family was very honored to be the official Huntington Beach Community Grand Marshals of the Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade.

“Now it’s 2023, the Pai Family’s passion for surfing and family has got us to where we are today. We have four stores (and an online store) all located in Huntington Beach and are dedicated to maintaining a hardcore commitment to our surfing community, along with making our world a better place through surfing. It’s a true joy to share Grandma Choi’s aloha spirit every day with the guests and the work crew that walk through our doors of HSS.

“It’s a true joy to be able to wake up, go to work, and see my family.”

Pretty cool huh? Hey, for me, it’s a true joy just to know these guys and that they exist. In this day and age where “family values” seem to have generally eroded to a large degree, it makes me happy to realize that ones like the Pai Ohana still exist and thrive.

Good on ya AP. And, lastly, who cannot dig a family that has a kid named Zowie?

A family-owned brewery is opening in north Scottsdale.

What to know about Pinnacle Brewing

Family-owned Pinnacle Brewing Company is opening a new craft brewery in north Scottsdale in early 2024.

Located at the corner of Hayden Road and North 82nd Street, the brewery was named after Pinnacle Peak and, according to the website, is a reminder of the family’s mindset of striving to reach their peak.

The brewery is being opened by Bob, Mary and their son Wyatt Wilson, a graduate of Olds College’s Brewmaster & Brewery Operations Management program in Alberta, Canada. His experience includes stints at award-winning craft breweries like Dust Bowl Brewing Company in California and Monkless Belgian Ales in Oregon.

Read the full article.

Schelin Uldricks & Co. is pleased to announce that the company has moved its corporate headquarters to the Pierside Pavilion 

Schelin Uldricks & Co. is pleased to announce that the company has moved its corporate headquarters to the Pierside Pavilion mixed use property overlooking the Pacific Ocean at 300 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 303 in Huntington Beach, California.

The company is increasing its footprint ahead of their planned head count expansion to accommodate its growing business.

“Our new space provides additional room to grow the firm and provides a more enjoyable atmosphere for our team and visiting clients,” remarked Derek Uldricks, Managing Partner.

About Schelin Uldricks & Co.

www.schelinuldricks.com

Schelin Uldricks & Co. offers investment banking services with a focus on providing capital solutions to real estate companies and other mid-sized businesses.

Headquartered in Huntington Beach, California, Schelin Uldricks & Co. embodies a progressive entrepreneurial culture focused on integrity, transparency, execution, and ingenuity. The founding partners bring extensive capital markets experience in investment banking, private equity, and real estate finance. The company offers a broad array of services, including debt and equity placement, M&A consulting, GP advisory, divestitures, and financial restructuring.

Organic Chef To Go

Meal-planner Kale Personal Chef Services, owned and operated by Scottsdale resident Kristen Madison, is adding brick and mortar to its repertoire.

Up to now, Madison’s company provides meal planning services for people seeking a personalized approach to their events, as well as those seeking meal delivery or in-home food preparation.

Now, she’s planning to open Organic Chef To Go – a gourmet food operation that will be located across from Scottsdale Airpark, @15111 No. Hayden Road, on Dec.15-Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening from 4-6 pm. Regular hours of Operation, starting on Dec.16 will be M-F 10-6 Sat. 10-2

“This is going to allow Kale to expand its reach,” Madison said. “We hope to cater to businesses, the working professional demographic and families that need convenient meal options.There will be chef curated catering spreads, house made cocktail mixer kits, prepared meal delivery services, and grab n’ go options, all made from scratch and featuring local ingredients. Along with catering, the company offers daily private chef services and weekly meal prep.

Major Expansion Completed at Pierside Pavilion in Huntington Beach

Theory R Properties (www.theoryr.com) has just completed the final phase of a
multi-year expansion to Pierside Pavilion located at 300 Pacific Coast Highway
directly across from the Huntington Beach Pier. Theory R has owned the
property since 2002 and commenced a significant remodel and addition in 2016
to be constructed in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a refacing and
expansion of the store fronts and was completed by renowned architect and
owner of Team Design, Jeff Bergsma. Mr. Bergsma designed the entire project
and all phases. Team Design worked in concert with Morris Construction on
Phase 2 and Phase 3 expanding the building to 120,000 square feet.

The expansion has added ground floor retail, 3rd and 4th story offices and an
outstanding 2nd story restaurant space overlooking the ocean with a private
elevator leading to rooftop dining. Pierside Pavilion located at 300 Pacific Coast
Highway is home to Huntington Surf and Sport, Volcom, Hurley, Fred’s
Mexican Cafe, BLK, and Gallaghers Pub and Grill. Flame Burger, INIS
Fragrances of Ireland, and Handel’s Ice Cream will be opening their new
spaces in the next several months.

Buddy Molway, Theory R’s Vice President stated “ I do not believe there is
anything comparable to the views offered by any restaurant space in Southern
California other than the ones in our building. We are excited with the
completion of the three phases and have already filled all the new office space
and most of the retail space with tenants that will attract business and visitors
to Huntington Beach. We fully expect to be at 100% by year end.”

Chris Morris, President of Morris Construction added “there is a lot of
complexity when constructing subterranean foundation below sea level”. We
were delighted to be selected by TheoryR for our expertise in this area and for
what has become an outstanding relationship and finish product”.

Molway added “ we could not be more delighted in working with Bergsma and
Morris on this project and look forward to doing so again on future projects.”

Read the full article https://ocbj.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/static/ocbj/supplements/Whos-Building-OC-2021.pdf

Meet G. James Daichendt

Today we’d like to introduce you to G. James Daichendt.

Hi G. James, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a Dean and Professor of Art History that writes art criticism and histories for a variety of local and international publications. As a student, I studied art education, museum studies, and art theory at Harvard University and Boston University, where I earned two master’s degrees. It was in Boston where I first began working in museums and eventually, I earned a doctorate from Columbia University while working as a Director of Education for a NYC museum. After several years in the city, I joined the faculty at Queens College, City University of New York.

I moved to southern California when I was offered a faculty position at Azusa Pacific University to teach and run their gallery program. After establishing two master’s programs, I accepted an administrative post at Point Loma Nazarene University to oversee programs that span the liberal arts.

To date, I’ve been fortunate to write six books, author dozens of catalog essays, curate several exhibitions across the country, and contribute hundreds of articles to both academic and popular publications.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As someone who has moved quite a bit for education and professional reasons, I had to re-establish myself in each location. Whether it’s at the institutional level or developing your reputation within a larger city/county/state, it always involves putting work in and doing what is necessary to ensure you have a strong network.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love writing books because it allows me to explore ideas in-depth over a long period of time. Whether they are histories of a profession like my first book “Artist-Teacher: A Philosophy for Creating and Teaching” (2010) or more recent projects that are biographies about important artists like “Kenny Scharf: In Absence of Myth” (2016) and “Shepard Fairey Inc. Artist/Professional/Vandal” (2014). The variety of subjects keeps me interested in exploring the art world.

I was super proud to author a book about the artist Robbie Conal just a year ago leading to the election entitled: “Robbie Conal: Streetwise: 35 Years of Politically Charged Guerrilla Art” (2020). It features every satirical posters in his rich career and his life story is joined with my art criticism.

Lately, I am finishing a book on methods of art criticism that will be helpful for educators and an edited book about the streetwear brand Tribal that will complement a major exhibition at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido that I am co-curating with Bobby Ruiz.

How do you define success?
Success is journey for me that involves raising a family, being a loving spouse, representing my university in a positive light, helping my colleagues inside and outside the university reach new heights, loving our neighbors, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and being a good person. I know that I will fall short but I am striving and working on being better in each area — and that improvement is success to me.

This kind of focus is what helps me write books, curate exhibitions, and finish major projects at the university.

Contact Info:

Full Interview http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-g-james-daichendt-of-carlsbad-ca/

Sugar Jam at Airpark Corner Square

Sugar Jam – The Southern Kitchen is coming to town!

For nearly 6½ years Sugar Jam Bake Shop & Bistro has made their home in the Scottsdale Airpark.  Renowned for their pies, baked goods and satisfying comfort food, Executive Chef and Owner Dana Dumas is making a move to “Front Street!”  We are excited to announce that her new concept is coming to the Airpark Corner Square.  Renamed Sugar Jam – The Southern Kitchen, their new home will be located at 15111 N. Hayden Road.  Opening date will be January 29th, 2021.  Dana Dumas, a.k.a. “The Pie Lady”, will feature her southern delights such as Fried Chicken & Waffles, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Creole Shrimp N Grits, Catfish Po’ Boys, Mac N Cheese, Collard Greens, and don’t forget her Famous Pies and Baked Goods. 

Dana will be serving up her delectable fare breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Oh! And we can’t forget to mention her weekend Brunch is beyond DELICIOUS! 

Are you hungry?  Call 480-948-6210 or better yet, please stop by.  There is so much more.  Sugar Jam is on the move! 

Surfers Hall of Fame 2019 Inductees

2019 SURFERS’ HALL OF FAME
ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND AT 9:00 AM


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Kai Lenny

Kai Lenny, a champion big wave surfer, stand-up paddle surfer and racer, surfer, tow-in surfer, windsurfer, kitesurfer and overall watersports enthusiast will be inducted into the 2019 Surfers’ Hall of Fame. Lenny will his hand and footprints immortalized in cement for the ages on Friday, August 2nd at 9am in front of Huntington Surf and Sport.

“Kai Lenny is one of the most progressive and amazing Big (and small) Wave Surfers on the Planet with endless amounts of God given talent,” said Surfers’ Hall of Fame founder Aaron Pai. “We are honored and excited to induct Kai into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame this Summer!”


Sam Hawk, a standout power surfer in the 1970s, is the first announced inductee to the 2019 Surfers’ Hall of Fame. Born in 1950 in South Gate, Hawk first started surfing at age fourteen in Huntington Beach. As one of the renowned Hawk surfing clan that includes Tom and their late brother Chris, Sam helped shape the local surf culture in the 1960s and ’70s.

“Sam Hawk is a huge legend of our surfing world”, said Surfers’ Hall of Fame founder Aaron Pai.”Back in the day Sam was one of the best surfers here and in the big surf of Hawaii, and he has been a master shaper since the ’70s. We are super stoked to be able to thank Sam for all his contributions and achievements to our sport of surfing.”

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Sam Hawk


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Janice Aragon

Janice Aragon, winner of the ISA World Surfing Games and NSSA Nationals, the first woman to judge a world professional tour event and current executive director of the NSSA is among the legendary surfers being inducted into the 2019 Surfers’ Hall of Fame.

“Janice Aragon is a true surfing champion and surfing legend that has impacted our sport and generations of surfers in a huge, positive way,” said Surfers’ Hall of Fame founder Aaron Pai. “We are honored to induct Janice into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame.”


  The Surfers’ Hall of Fame celebrated its first induction in 1997 inside of specialty retailer Huntington Surf & Sport where several slabs remain. Four years later with the blessing of the City Council and a stunning bronze statue of sport’s spiritual leader Duke Kahanamoku serving as a backdrop, the ceremony moved outside to the corner of PCH and Main; less than 100 feet from the famed Huntington Beach Pier, site of the U.S. Open of Surfing.Text

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  Annually, tens of thousands of visitors to Huntington Beach’s downtown area literally walk in the footsteps of surfing superstars and legends from several eras including Laird Hamilton, Mike Doyle, Jack O’Neill, Robert August, Greg Noll, Jericho Poppler, Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Martin Potter, Al Merrick, Shaun Tomson and Rob Machado who are already immortalized in cement.

  Styled after the famed Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, which Aaron Pai visited as a youngster, the Surfers’ Hall of Fame is intended to “connect the generations of surfers with a lasting tribute and permanent public showcase for the achievements of those who have shaped and revolutionized the sport,” said Pai. The standing room only crowd on induction day is testament to the landmark’s popularity and the surfing community’s acknowledgment of their heroes.

2019 inductees into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame

Janice Aragon, Sam Hawk and Kai Lenny named 2019 inductees into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame

Kai Lenny at the Jaws Challenge at Pe’ahi in Maui, Hi, USA in 2018. (Photo courtesy of Kenneth Morris/WSL)

Kai Lenny at the Jaws Challenge at Pe’ahi in Maui, Hi, USA in 2018. (Photo courtesy of Kenneth Morris/WSL)

By LAYLAN CONNELLY | lconnelly@scng.com | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: June 4, 2019 at 4:25 pm | UPDATED: June 5, 2019 at 12:01 pm

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Janice Aragon, executive director of the National Scholastic Surfing Association, stands with some of the names of past national champions of NSSA at the recent competition held in Huntington Beach. ( Photo by Mark Rightmire, The Orange County Register/SCNG)

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Janice Aragon, executive director of the National Scholastic Surfing Association, stands with some of the names of past national champions of NSSA at the recent competition held in Huntington Beach. ( Photo by Mark Rightmire, The Orange County Register/SCNG)

That pro surfer competing among the best in the world?

If the surfer was raised in the waves in North America or Hawaii, chances are he or she was groomed by Janice Aragon and the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) while coming up in the amateur ranks — and Aragon foresaw stardom long before it happened.

ADVERTISING

Aragon, along with Huntington Beach icon Sam Hawk and Hawaiian phenom Kai Lenny, are this year’s Surfers’ Hall of Fame inductees, organizers announced Monday, June 3. They will be honored in a celebration Aug. 2 in front of Huntington Surf and Sport.

The three will be added to the long list of icons who have put their hands and feet in cement at the corner of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach, near where a statue of Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern-day surfing, looks out toward the Pacific Ocean.

Hawk, a power surfer born in South Gate in 1950, first took waves in Huntington Beach. He is one of the renowned Hawk surfing clan that includes his brother Tom and their late brother Chris, all of whom helped shape the Huntington Beach surf culture in the 1960s, according to the announcement.

“Sam Hawk is a huge legend of our surfing world,” said Surfers’ Hall of Fame founder Aaron Pai, in the news release. “Back in the day, Sam was one of the best surfers here and in the big surf of Hawaii, and he has been a master shaper since the ’70s. We are super stoked to be able to thank Sam for all his contributions and achievements to our sport of surfing.”

He moved to the North Shore of Oahu in 1967 and by 1971 had established himself as one of the most advanced regular-foot surfers at Banzai Pipeline, as well as Sunset Beach and Rocky Point. He still lives on the North Shore.

Hawk finished fourth at the 1972 Pipeline Masters contest and placed third in the 1974 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. He was an apprentice for surfboard shaper Dick Brewer in the early 1970s, then went on to become a board maker under Brewer’s label before branching out on his own.

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He will join his brother Chris as a Surfers’ Hall of Fame inductee. Chris Hawk, who lived in San Clemente, was inducted in 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away shortly after.

Aragon is a former competitive surfer who has made a huge imprint on the careers of young surfers across the country.

She was born in 1955 in Fresno, raised in Downey and first picked up surfing at age 16. Aragon won her first surfing contest in 1983 at age 29, chasing competitive dreams while raising two children.

Aragon won the 1984 ISA World Championships in Huntington Beach, helping lead the U.S. to a team victory. She won the NSSA Nationals, one of amateur surfing’s most prestigious events, in 1985. She was hired as an NSSA competition judge in 1986, and the following year broke new ground in surfing becoming the first woman to judge a professional world tour event, working the Op Pro Surfing Championship in Huntington Beach.

Aragon was hired as the NSSA’s executive director in 1989, a role she still holds three decades later.

Thousands of young surfers have gone through the NSSA ranks. Most never became professional surfers, but some used their early teachings to propel them to be the best in the sport. They include champions such as Kelly Slater, Andy Irons and Carissa Moore, as well as current local Orange County World Tour surfers Courtney Conlogue, Kolohe Andino and Kanoa Igarashi.

Despite his young age, Lenny already has excelled in several sports that involve the sea.

The Hawaiian surfer’s parents dipped him in the Maui shorebreak within a week of being born in 1992. He was charging big waves by age five, windsurfing at six, stand-up paddling at seven and kitesurfing at nine. He had his first sponsor before age 10, according to organizers of the Hall of Fame.

Lenny is a familiar face around Orange County, a regular competitor at the now defunct Battle of the Paddle and winning the SUP world title several years. In 2014, he finished fourth in the grueling 32-mile Molokai 2 Oahu (M2O) Paddleboard World Championships. The following year he came in second and then in 2016, he not only won the title but set a new record.

It’s his prowess in massive waves that has put a brighter spotlight on Lenny, who has been charging Maui’s Jaws, one of the world’s gnarliest waves, since age 16.

This year, he won the WSL Big Wave Awards for Overall Performance and XXL Biggest Wave Award at a ceremony in Redondo Beach for a wave he took at Jaws in November.

Sam Hawk, Janice Aragon and Kai Lenny to Enter the 2019 Surfers’ Hall of Fame

SAM HAWK, JANICE ARAGON AND KAI LENNY TO ENTER THE
2019 SURFERS’ HALL OF FAME ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 2ND AT 9:00 AM


HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. – The Surfers’ Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Sam Hawk, a standout power surfer in the 1970s and part of the renowned Hawk surfing clan that includes Tom and their late brother Chris; Janice Aragon, winner of the ISA World Surfing Games and NSSA Nationals and current executive director of the NSSA; and Kai Lenny, a champion big wave surfer, stand-up paddle surfer and racer, surfer, tow-in surfer, windsurfer, kitesurfer and overall watersports enthusiast are our 2019 inductees.
 
Sam, Janice and Kai will have their hand and footprints immortalized in cement for the ages on Friday, August 2nd at 9am on the corner of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach.
 
“We are extremely excited and very honored to induct Sam Hawk, Janice Aragon and Kai Lenny into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame and thank them for their contributions and achievements to our Surfing World,” said Surfers’ Hall of Fame founder Aaron Pai.
 
Born in 1950 in South Gate, Hawk first started surfing at age fourteen in Huntington Beach. As one of the renowned Hawk surfing clan that includes Tom and their late brother Chris, Sam helped shape the local surf culture in the 1960s and ’70s. He moved to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii in 1967 and by 1971 had firmly established himself as the most advanced regular footer surfer at the Banzai Pipeline as well as a key pacesetter at both Sunset Beach and Rocky Point.
 
Known for riding massive waves with complete and startling abandon, Sam finished fourth at the 1972 Pipeline Masters contest and placed third in the 1974 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. An apprentice of master surfboard shaper Dick Brewer in the early 1970’s, Hawk went on to become a highly regarded board maker in his own right; initially making boards for the Brewer label before eventually branching out on his own. Sam continued to surf throughout the decades and was Cheyne Horan’s tow-in partner during the enormous Biggest Wednesday swell that hit Hawaii’s North Shore in January, 1998.
 
Janice Aragon was born in 1955 in Fresno, California, and raised in Downey. She began surfing at age 16. A relative late bloomer to competitive surfing, Janice entered and won her first surfing contest in 1983 at age 29. Aragon was the mother of a two year-old daughter and an unheralded competitive surfer when she won the 1984 ISA World Championships in her hometown of Huntington Beach, helping lead the U.S. to a team victory. Janice had a second child in 1985, and the following year won the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Nationals, one of amateur surfing’s most prestigious events.
 
Aragon was hired as an NSSA competition judge in 1986, and the following year broke new ground, becoming the first woman to judge a professional world tour event, working the Op Pro Surfing Championship. Blazing more trails in the growing sport, Janice was hired as the NSSA’s executive director in 1989. Aragon sent ripples into American amateur surfing when she splintered the NSSA away from the United States Surfing Federation in 1993, forcing surfers to choose competing in the better organized and talent-superior NSSA or working toward a U.S. world team slot through the USSF. The NSSA grew and prospered under Aragon’s leadership in the mid- and late 1990s. Thousands of young surfers have gone through the NSSA ranks, later going on to myriad professions including doctors, lawyers and heads of surfing brands.
 
Born on October 8, 1992, Kai Lenny’s parent’s dipped him in the Maui shorebreak before his first week on earth was complete. His skills as a waterman exploded soon thereafter. Lenny, whose name is derived from the Hawaiian word for ocean, learned to surf by age five, windsurf at six, stand up paddle at seven and kite surf at nine. He had his first sponsor before age 10. Lenny’s mentors include windsurfing legend Robby Naish and big wave greats Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama.
 
Lenny is already one of the world’s most accomplished watermen. A runner-up at the Kite Surf Pro World Championships, Kai is a seven-time winner of the SUP (stand up paddle) world title.  In 2014 Lenny finished fourth in the grueling 32-mile Molokai 2 Oahu (M2O) Paddleboard World Championships, the ultimate test of pain and paddling. The following year he came in second. After consulting with Kalama, Kai tweaked his equipment, training and race tactics. He trounced everyone at the 2016 race, setting a new world record in the process.
 
Following in the path of his pioneering mentors, Lenny has been riding Pe’ahi (Jaws), Maui’s notorious big wave break, since he was 16. On May 2nd of this year, Kai won the WSL Big Wave Awards for Overall Performance and XXL Biggest Wave Award for his revolutionary session at Jaws last November. When the Jaws Challenge was postponed due to its monster waves being too large, the “Kai show” began and he served up one of his best performances to date. Lenny stunned the surfing world when he was towed into an absolutel behemouth then airdropped 20 feet coming off a cutback on the lip and stuck the landing.
 
Tens of thousands of visitors travel to Huntington Beach’s downtown area and literally walk in the footsteps of surfing superstars and legends from several eras including Laird Hamilton, Andy Irons, Bethany Hamilton, Jack O’Neill, Robert August, Bob Hurley, Sean Collins, Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Gerry Lopez, George Downing, Shane Dorian, Greg Noll, Corky Carroll, Shaun Tomson, Rob Machado, Sumo Sato, Timmy Turner, Shawn Stussy, Rabbit Kekai, Rick Fignetti and many more, who are already immortalized in cement. 
 
The Surfers’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony pays tribute to those individuals who have made an indelible mark on the sport, industry and culture of surfing. This year’s induction ceremony features the inductees, family, friends, pro surfers and industry titans, and is open to the public, free-of-charge.  Further information is available at http://hsssurf.com/shof/.
 
Press Contact: 
Mike Kingsbury
Mike@teammkm.com
(714) 317-9848 (cell)