Can A GQ Cover Boy Take Out Teahupo’o?

As it turns out, there is more to life than being really, really ridiculously good looking. 

Kauli Vaast is your Outerknown Tahiti Pro wildcard. A position he earned after taking out the Teahupo’o trials last week. This is the second time Kauli has found himself in the CT event after taking out the trials in 2019 as a 17-year old (he went on to finish 9th). In May this year, the genetically blessed Kauli told Stab, “I’m not into big waves, I just like big Teahupoo, because it’s home.” But that is patently false.

“Kauli’s always been a pretty timid, shy kid,” explained Patrick Beven, O.G. Euro pro and founder member of the Euroforce collective that brought widespread competitive success in the 2000’s. “He’s super respectful, polite, and well brought up.” 

So like, handsome, talented and humble. 

My god, can you bounce some of those DM’s this way? 

The event window for Tahiti begins tomorrow, though is unlikely to run for at least another few days. Kauli will be joined by Nathan Hedge, Michel Bourez and Yago Dora representing the wildcard contingent. I daresay, he’s probably my favorite to do real damage here too. 

“When it comes to Teahupoo, I’ve seen them all come and go,” says Raimana van Bastolaer, the first Tahitian native to really push and popularize big-wave surfing at the ‘end of the road’. “Kauli knows the wave, and surfs the wave as well as anyone, he’s right there at the level with the very best.”

Compelling testimonial, but if you’re of the shrewd/grouchy ‘I’ll-believe-it-when-I-see-it-type,’ his season highlights might just get you over the line.