San Clemente ‘Robo Kids’ Got Some Bombs This Hawaii Season

One of the biggest success stories of 2023 was the domination of San Clemente surfers on the Challenger Series. 

Less than six months after Stab in the Dark star Kolohe Andino’s exit from the tour, four more surfers from the same region qualified in Cole Houshmand, Crosby Colapinto, Kade Matson and Sawyer Lindblad. 

All year long we saw the Clementine mob gathered on the sand hooting and hollering for their bros. The remarkable thing was that the ‘team’ dynamic actually translated into breakthrough results. Cole won his maiden two CS events, and both Sawyer and Eli Hanneman (honorary member) took out the US Open. 

“Genuinely being happy for your friends when they do well, while all pushing each other, is just so important,” Crosby told Stab fresh after qualifying.

It is so important. And even if the 2% squad are not your cuppa tea (see the Harry Bryant interview), we can all take something out of their galvanized, team-centric approach.

It’s worth noting that the first year the CS ran in 2021, Australia saw a similar trend of success with the qualification of LOB, Cal Rob, Jacko Baker and Connor O’Leary, who had also been bunkering down and shopping at Costco together. 

But four’s about the limit if you plan to take the elevator with your boys to the top. 

Without further waffle, here’s the 2%/Cola Bros Hawaii highlights, filmed and edited by Shane Kreutzer.