Kolohe Andino, NorCal

He’s the youngest person ever to win the men’s open title at a NSSA regional event – and the first surfer to win both the open men’s and open junior’s divisions at the same contest. He’s also the son of an American surfing legend in Dino Andino. All of which combines to deliver a weight of expectation on 16 year old Kolohe Andino’s shoulders.

But he’s also a kid with personality and interests peripheral to surfing. Before the US Open, he snuck off to NorCal for some solitude. It had the desired effect. Kolohe has progressed to the quarter-finals of the pro junior division at the US Open. While in the men’s he defeated Taylor Knox in the round of 96 but was ousted a heat later in a stacked contest between Owen Wright (1st), Pat Gudauskas (2nd) and Taj Burrow (3rd).