Red Bull No Contest Wanders Waikiki + Crossteps Along Oahu’s South Shore - Stab Mag

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2004 Pipe Master and surf media trailblazer Jamie O'Brien talks No Contest host Ashton Goggans through Waikiki surf culture Photo by Tommy Pierucki

Red Bull No Contest Wanders Waikiki + Crossteps Along Oahu’s South Shore

Exploring the 300,000 strong, 177.2 square mile surf cultural hub of Honolulu.

travel // Dec 1, 2024
Words by Ethan Davis
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Watch previous episodes of Red Bull No Contest here: Sydney, San Francisco + Morocco.

Welcome back to No Contest — Stab and Red Bull’s travel series diving into the culture, characters, and customs of surf communities around the globe.

In episode two, host Ashton Goggans teams up with Red Bull surfer Jamie O’Brien and local longboard World Champion Kai Sallas to explore the rich surf heritage of Oahu’s South Shore — from Waikiki’s mellow ankle slappers to the punchy reef breaks of Ala Moana Bowls. 

Upcoming stops include Japan and Florida.

Ashon and the proud-to-be-oldest man in the Vans Pipe Masters, Jamie O’Brien who created yet another archival moment at Pipeline over the weekend. On a single wave, two surfers — JOB(41) and Mike Stewart (61)— split the tab on a 12-foot, Second Reef monster. 102 years of human life crammed into one tube and back out again. Read about it here. Photo by Tommy Pierucki

“Waikiki is the birthplace of surfing,” says 2004 Pipe Master and surf media trailblazer Jamie O’Brien, who honed his skills competing at Queens, the slopey A-frame just 200 meters from the iconic Duke Kahanamoku statue in central Waikiki. He reflects on the cultural significance of the ‘Beach Boys’ — skilled watermen who mastered surfing, canoe paddling, and swimming. O’Brien stresses their role in preserving surfing’s roots and introducing newcomers to the sport.

Pretty much all modern surfing lineage traces back to this guy. The Duke statue stands in central Waikiki, near the International Marketplace, as a tribute to the legendary beach boy, Olympic gold medalist and “Father of Modern Surfing,” Duke Kahanamoku. Photo by Tommy Pierucki

Adding depth to the discussion is Kai Sallas, a second-generation Beach Boy, master board builder, and 2023 Longboard World Champion. Sallas clinched his maiden world title at 42, poetically defeating his own student, Kaniela Stewart, with both finalists riding boards he shaped. “My dad was a Beach Boy, and that’s how I learned to surf,” he says. “He took tourists surfing or out in the canoe. It’s just part of the Waikiki lifestyle. You’re kind of walking in the footsteps of Duke by continuing that Beach Boy tradition.”

Beyond the surf, we dive into the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of Honolulu’s 300,000-strong population, visiting local institutions like Sailor Jerry’s historic tattoo parlor in Chinatown, Town & Country Surfboards in Pearl Harbor, and the eclectic and hip Honolulu Pawn Shop in downtown Waikiki.

Norman “Sailor Jerry” Collins worked at the Old Ironside Tattoo Parlor in Honolulu from 1949 until his death in 1973. His time there helped establish the shop as a landmark in tattoo history, and it became famous for its unique blend of traditional American tattoo styles with Pacific Island influences. Photo by Mimi Lamontagne.

After watching Ashton get tattooed at Sailor Jerry’s Old Ironside Parlor — founded by Norman Collins, one of the most iconic tattoo artists ever — the crew heads to Town & Country Surfboards. Founded by Craig and Ryan Sugihara in 1971, T&C has left an indelible mark on surf culture. They cross paths with shaping royalty Dennis Pang and airbrush artist Gavin Hasegawa, uncovering stories like how Dennis Martinez’s famous slash in a swimming pool landed T&C its first cover (spoiler: it wasn’t in a surf mag).

“Believe it or not, our first cover was Dennis Martinez in a swimming pool,” explained T&C co-founder Craig Sugihara. “That notoriety from skateboarding transferred to surf because all those guys would come to Hawaii and we would lend them boards.”

They also check out Jonah Hill’s latest custom order and discuss how Nintendo Games’ release of Town & Country Surf: Wood and Water Rage in 1988 became the world’s first action sports video game, the profits of which helped build their star-studded team that came to include: Dane Kealoha, Tony Moniz, Sunny Garcia, Christian and Nate Fletcher, Matt Archbold, Marvin Foster, Johnny Boy Gomes, Bruce Irons and Jamie O’Brien over the years.

On set with a legendary cast at T&C Surfboards. Photo by Mimi Lamontagne.

The episode wraps with a visit to Kekoa Cazimero, founder of Avva brand and sponsor of the iconic “Surf Into Summer” event at Ala Moana Bowls. Cazimero, a five-time winner of the event, shares how he’s giving back to the competition that launched countless Hawaiian pro surfing careers.

Watch previous episodes of Red Bull No Contest here: Sydney, San Francisco + Morocco.

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