I’ve long thought that the surfing industrial complex doesn’t know what to do with Kai Lenny. It’s too talented, too well-rounded a waterman to fit in a box. Over the past few years, he’s dedicated himself to surfing switch, even in giant conditions at Jaws, or most recently, at Cloudbreak. He rips on a longboard. Blows doors with a kite or windsurfing rig. Is a fierce standup paddler. And could even make a few heats on the Qualifying Series if his life depended on it. Fortunately for all of us, it’s not. Warming up for the impending winter, Kai recently headed down to Fiji and scored heavy, windy Cloudbreak. SURFER caught up with him to both look back and look forward, as well as delve into his obsession with surfing switch:
SURFER: Can you talk a little about your decision to pull the trigger and chase the swell to Fiji?
Kai Lenny: It had been a few years since the waves really got big at Cloudbreak, and the last time I was there when it was breaking big was 2018. Cloudbreak can be a difficult one to forecast because there are no buoys to really reference, just the swell models, which change pretty frequently. The best way to know what’s happening is to see what Raglan is doing in New Zealand, but besides that, at a certain point, you just kind of have to go for it. I figured if it didn’t end up being really big, there would always be fun, barreling waves and the opportunity to go down and score some really fun surf. I think a lot of people had the same feeling.
It was really windy, which isn’t a problem for me, considering I bring every water sport I can fit into three bags for a three-day strike mission. The good thing about Cloudbreak is that it will always barrel, especially if the tide is right, since the reef does a good job of stopping a lot of chop from running up the face. That being said, the outside could be quite bumpy, but it’s no surprise, especially being somebody who comes from Maui and is quite used to the chop in strong winds. I felt quite at home.
Anything crazy stand out about the sessions?
On the biggest day, I would say Pedro Calado bagged the best single wave. And when I say single best wave, I mean it was the only perfect one that came through on the outer ledge. The rest were just wind-shredded and weren’t quite feeling the reef. There was a brief moment when it felt like it could get significantly bigger, but it really didn’t. On the low tide, the inside ledge started to do its thing occasionally, but those waves were far and few between. Patience was the ultimate game plan. If you weren’t in the water, you wouldn’t get the chance to potentially get a great ride.
And the decision to surf switch?
It’s been my goal for many years to surf both regular and goofy-footed. I’ve gotten to a point now where there’s a comfort level in facing the wall of a wave rather than being on the backside. A lot of the waves on this swell were quite almond-shaped, and with all the wind flaring the lip, it felt like it could be quite technical to maneuver, especially with how fast that wave rifles down the line. Being backside just allows me to stick a little closer to the face and stay on top of it. It makes every right interesting because, for the challenge of it, I’ll go back and forth between regular and goofy. Ultimately, I just want to surf as well switch as I do in my natural stance, and hopefully, I forget which one is my go-to stance.
Fred Pompermayer
I was talking to someone recently about how it’s easier to get deeper at Teahupo’o on your backside, but Cloudbreak might be more makeable on your frontside. Did that line of thinking factor in?
It’s interesting, having been able to surf Teahupo’o and Cloudbreak both frontside and backside. I would say being frontside is nicer, with the ability to really stick close to the face of the wave and ride high while dodging that shockwave. I feel like backside, if you’re one of the best barrel riders on earth, like Kelly Slater, John John Florence, or the many others on tour, then no matter which stance you’re in, you’ll make it work. As for myself, frontside is easier no matter what. But there is a comfort in grabbing your rail and having three points of contact with your board. It feels like solid security mentally.
What’s the process of learning to switch been like, and what was the motivation?
I look at it as an ultimate challenge. The benefit of learning how to ride switch is getting to experience those breakthroughs you have when you first begin surfing. I’m way more satisfied if I can do a solid cutback goofy-footed than land a regular-footed air because it feels new, it feels surprising, and there’s a challenge to it. A not-very-deep goofy-footed barrel for me is way more exhilarating than riding the foam ball regular-footed. Only because it’s just not familiar.
All that being said, I thought overall, for the health of my spine, not being twisted one way for the majority of my life would give me the longevity to continue surfing at a high level as I age. There was a massive transition where all my muscles and back started to spasm because they weren’t used to going the opposite way so much. It was like trying to unwind a tree that had been blown by the wind in one direction forever. But eventually, I broke through it with lots of stretching and just continuous effort, and now I feel much more symmetrical as a surfer.
And this winter, El Niño could be a monster. Do you have plans?
It’s getting pretty exciting. Who knows what will happen? I think there’s no doubt that at least one of the days of winter could have the biggest waves anyone has ever seen. Especially based on the fact that we’ve had a record-breaking hurricane season in Hawaii, and there hasn’t been a single hurricane in the Atlantic. The water is so warm here. I’ve never experienced anything like it. That’s just fuel for these mega storms in the Northwest Pacific to be spitting out monster swell.
It’s scary but exhilarating at the same time. At the end of the day, it’s important to ask yourself why you want to be out there. Is it for the money, the fame, the clout? Or is it because you genuinely love to do it? I think that’s going to be an important question everyone should ask themselves entering this big-wave season, because this one could be for the record books.
How are the boards and the body?
All my equipment is ready. I don’t know if I’ve ever been as prepared for a big-wave season, mentally, physically, and with my equipment and support team. That being said, you could have all the preparation in the world, but you still have to go out there. And for the first swell, that could be the hardest thing to try to comprehend. Hopefully, it’s pretty consistent and I can gain a rhythm. I also went to Fiji just to try and use it as a launching pad for the Northern Hemisphere.
Anything else?
Hopefully, everyone gets the ride of their lives this year. It’s going to be something special if all the stars align, and I pray everyone stays safe and can go home to their families.