“It Feels Good To Have The Best Airs You’ve Ever Done Get Caught On Film”

I first heard the name “Hayden Rodgers” when it was whispered around the curmudgeon line-up at Brooks Street a decade ago after he, at eight years old, landed an inchoate straight air.

Now, at the edge of nineteen, Hayden Rodgers is breaking past the orbit of local fame. In the past six months alone, he: Became an official 2 Percent team rider (there are only five of them believe it or not), stacked enough clips for two full-length edits, competed in Stab High Japan, and just completed a 32-day, three-country, 26-show tour for the edit you see above, Hijinx.

“We’ve been filming for this edit for the past six months,” Hayden told us. “All the clips are from either our trip to Australia, this island I probably shouldn’t talk about, and home in San Clemente. But West Oz was amazing, being able to watch Jay Davies and Jacob Willcox at Gnaraloo was nuts. I couldn’t believe the waves those guys were going on. I was just happy they let me have a couple smaller ones.”

While it’s reassuring to know Hayden can back up his aerial talent with proper tube-riding acumen, it’s really his airs that stand out the most in Hijinx.

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“I had been trying those backside Indys for a while and I landed a few smaller ones but for sure that was the best one I’ve ever done. It feels good to have the best airs you’ve ever done get caught on film. I feel like this edit has the best airs I’ve done so far in it honestly.”

It’s hard to know exactly what 2 Percent is at times. A cult of fortunate San Clemente-ites? A budding media house? A clothing company? An after-school daycare? Hayden broke it down for us. “So, there are actually only five official team riders: Kolohe, me, Luke Wyler, Cole McCaffray, and that little guy Moses Hennings you’ll see in the edit,” Hayden said. “But the main goals are just to make money for trips, to then put out good films, to ultimately get the youth excited and involved in surfing.”

So what’s next for Hayden? “I actually really love contests. So the goal is to hop on the QS this year and just do the best that I can. I also want to grow 2 Percent and learn how to market it better and all that too. And obviously, I just want to do trips with my friends.”