{"id":99082,"date":"2023-12-27T10:07:53","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T20:07:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hawaii.carpentermediagroup.com\/midweekpro\/?p=99082"},"modified":"2023-12-27T10:09:40","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T20:09:40","slug":"kai-sallas-world-surf-league-longboard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hawaii.carpentermediagroup.com\/midweekpro\/kai-sallas-world-surf-league-longboard\/","title":{"rendered":"A Long Time Coming"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Good things come to those who wait, as Kai Sallas, this year\u2019s World Surf League Longboard champion, discovered.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The fog in Malibu was so intense that the World Surf League had to postpone its Long-board World Championships until visibility improved. For Kai Sallas, a 42-year-old Waik\u012bk\u012b native, the uncertainty of competitive surfing was nothing new \u2014 he\u2019d been at it for three decades.<\/p>\n

Finally, on Oct. 9, the contest got the greenlight, drawing in longboarders from various corners of the globe \u2014 the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France and the Philippines \u2014 who swiftly made their way into California\u2019s chilly waters. As the day progressed, the line up dwindled until only two remained: Sallas and fellow Waik\u012bk\u012b boy Kaniela Stewart, 21. In a best-of-three showdown, the atmosphere intensified, and by round three, the Queen\u2019s Beach regulars with 20 years between them were neck and neck. It was anyone\u2019s crown.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Kai Sallas celebrates his ~ rst world title as fellow longboarding contestants carry him ashore. PHOTO COURTESY WORLD SURF LEAGUE\/KENNY MORRIS<\/strong>
<\/p><\/div>\n

With just 10 seconds left on the clock and Sallas holding a slight lead of 1.19 points, a wave of relief washed over him, as he shook his head in disbelief. Standing atop his board, he leaped into the ocean in exaltation. Even through the haze, his smile could be seen from space, as the reality of his first world title sank in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a dream come true moment,\u201d says Sallas. \u201cMy family, my wife and kids, and a lot of people from Hawai\u2018i were on the beach and I could look in and see everyone. It was the best surfing moment of my life to finally win after all those years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were many years where I was getting older and I was like, \u2018Dang, this is probably never going to happen,\u2019 but I thought I would put my head down and give it another crack and to finally get it was super special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

World champion Kai Sallas, 42, has been competing since he was 12 years old. PHOTO COURTESY WORLD SURF LEAGUE\/TOMMY PIERUCKI<\/strong>
<\/p><\/div>\n

Sallas began surfing at age 10 and signed up for his first competition two years later. Living just a block from one of the world\u2019s renowned longboarding beaches meant endless surf sessions from sunrise to sunset.<\/p>\n

Once he made a name for himself locally, Sallas moved on to the big leagues. His breakthrough came in 2009 when he placed second in a contest in the Maldives and walked away with $10,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy parents never had money; I didn\u2019t have money growing up \u2026 It was the most money I ever had in my life,\u201d says the Kalani High School grad.\u201cIt was right after my first daughter was born, so I took all that money and used it to start my surf school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Sallas with fellow longboard champ Soleil Errico, who snagged the title in the women\u2019s division. PHOTOS COURTESY WORLD SURF LEAGUE\/ TOMMY PIERUCKI<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

With a van, a few surfboards, an ad in a pamphlet and a dream, Sallas established Pro Surf School Hawai\u2018i. He taught beginners how to paddle, balance and time the perfect wave right down the street from where he learned those skills himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up in Waik\u012bk\u012b, that was the way to make money \u2014 you taught surfing. That\u2019s what my dad did, and all of my uncles did,\u201d says Sallas. \u201cWhen I had my first child, it was like, \u2018OK.\u2019 All I wanted to do was surf. I didn\u2019t care about money too much, but it was time to support a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

All was well until COVID-19 lock-downs brought surf lessons to a stop. Sallas, like many others, found himself with a ton of free time, and seized the opportunity to pursue a long-time dream: crafting his own surfboards.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

(From left) Kaniela Stewart, Kai Sallas and Kelis Kaleopa\u2018a are all smiles following the WSL Longboard World Championship.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWe had to wear masks and be isolated so it was perfect to be in this shaping room all by myself every day with my mask on. I would just shape boards,\u201d says Sallas, adding that he unofficially shadowed the late board shaper, Donald Takayama, in a wax on, wax off, Mr. Miyagi kind of way.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could still surf during COVID so I was shaping boards and testing them out. In that time, I shaped hundreds of boards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Entering this year\u2019s world tour, Sallas felt an unprecedented level of confidence. He rode boards shaped by his own two hands (fun fact: so did his competitor\/friend, Stewart) and felt like he was in his prime physically.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m more experienced and mentally prepared,\u201d says Sallas. \u201cI found a few ways to cope with the mental side of competing and read a few sports psychology books. I\u2019m just smarter now in so many ways in how to train and prepare for contests.<\/p>\n

\u201cI make my own boards, so I know how to make the correct equipment for the right waves for where we\u2019re traveling to. Now that I\u2019m older it all came together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sallas \u2014 who seems to live by the saying, \u201cfall down nine times, get up 10\u201d \u2014 is not one to shy away from hard work. Returning to the WSL tour year after year requires an impressive amount of grit, a trait he\u2019s proud of.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just have to be able to accept your losses,\u201d he says. \u201cI feel like people get super devastated for their losses. I think early on when I would lose, I would just try to tell myself to learn from it; learn why you lost, apply that to the next event and keep looking forward to the next event.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn surfing, no matter who you are, statistically, you\u2019re going to lose more than you win. Even Kelly Slater lost more than he won, you know? It\u2019s just natural and \u2026 I try to only control the things I can control. I feel more down on myself when I wouldn\u2019t prepare properly for a contest, so if I lose, at least I know I put maximum effort into it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope to inspire all the younger kids to show them that if you don\u2019t give up and keep trying, it can happen for you. A lot of the kids, if they lose are all devastated, but I just want them to know they\u2019re still young and there\u2019s plenty time. You can keep doing it for a long time. I\u2019m proud of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now with a world championship under his belt, will the surfing veteran ride off into the sunset?<\/p>\n

\u201cEven before I competed in Malibu I was thinking if I should retire, and I thought that would be a pretty cool way to end it even after winning. I finally figured out so much things and I feel like I\u2019m surfing the best that I\u2019ve ever surfed \u2014 so, yeah, I\u2019m going to keep going. I think this year (2024) I can compete with a huge weight off my shoulders. I\u2019m just going to travel with my family and have fun and experience this opportunity that I have for a few more years while I\u2019m still young enough to do it. I don\u2019t want to regret it when I\u2019m older.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Good things come to those who wait, as Kai Sallas, this year\u2019s World Surf League Longboard champion, discovered. 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