By Kaea Latronic, Photos Spencer Suitt – Eight years ago, FreeSurf introduced the world to a pair of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed North Shore siblings, Stone and Skai Suitt. Two keiki with saltwater in their veins, likely some sand still in their ears, but most definitely, big dreams growing and thriving under the Hawai’ian sun. Back then, Skai was sprinting across the street from Sunset Beach Elementary to catch one more wave before dark. Even then she carried a playful, determined cheek, a flint strike of ambition- and unafraid to fly.
Fast forward to today: Skai Suitt is fifteen, and that spark has bloomed to a steady flame. She absolutely claimed the Stab High Ladybirds title, a career milestone that bridges her island roots to a future of limitless progression. What’s striking about Skai isn’t just her skill…her curiosity, clarity of mind and the sense that she’s still surfing for the same reason she did at eight years old: because it feels like home.
In conversation, she’s part humility, part mischief. Laughing about tardy passes and dawn patrols, then slipping seamlessly into susurration about the deeper call of the ocean, about giving back, doing things from the heart. Her vision of surfing stretches far beyond the lineup.
FSM: Skai! It’s great to meet you. You were eight the last time FreeSurf spoke with you. Now you’re fifteen, fresh off your Stab High win. How does it feel to look back at those early North Shore grom days?
SS: It feels good to be back! Those early north shore grom days were the days I lived for, haha. Going to the beach right after school and staying til dark were my favorite.
FSM: Last time, you told us you loved “Paint It Black.” I’ve gotta ask — do you still listen to classic rock? I used to ritualistically play “Kashmir” by Led Zep before surf sessions with my dad. What’s on your playlist these days?
SS: I know a lot of the classic rock songs from my parents playing it- but it’s not on my playlist, ha! Lately I’ve been listening to a mix of everything, From island reggae – maoli, jboog, rebelution, kanaka fyah, to rap- shoreline mafia, future, travis scott, drake and some house music like fisher, disco lines, PRODBYAZ
FSM: Seven years ago, you were a fearless eight-year-old from Sunset Beach Elementary, launching airs and collecting contest trophies. Looking back, what do you remember most vividly?
SS: Haha thanks, I wasn’t really stomping airs at eight but it was always good dawn patrolling before school eating egg burritos with dripping wet hair running across the street going straight into the classroom— sometimes getting a tardy pass haha. When I was 6 years old I won my first ever Haleiwa Menehune contest and somehow won the next 5 years until I aged out. The Menehune is such a special surf contest for our community, it’s like a 4-day beach gathering for all the families. Auntie Ivy and Uncle Kawika, along with all the volunteers always do a great job putting it all together. For the past few years, I’ve been helping out the comp and giving back to the kids that are competing and sharing the stoke to the next generation.
FSM: That’s fantastic! I love to hear that you’re passing the verve for surf to younger groms. Do you remember the first time you landed an air cleanly? What did that feel like? Fireworks? Freedom?
SS: I think I was 11, but I was surfing at Rocky lefts trying chop hops every wave and I wasn’t going in till I landed one. When I finally made one I came straight in. I remember feeling like I accomplished something big and was super stoked.
FSM: You’ve spent most of your life surrounded by waves, cameras, competition. Tell me something about you, something people might not see right away.
SS: Hmmm, you might not see it but I am half Japanese and can speak Japanese.
FSM: When you watch yourself surf on video, what’s one thing you always notice, something you’re still working to perfect?
SS: No one is perfect at surfing and everyone probably has something they wanna get better at. But for me I just wanna get more comfortable in bigger waves, perfect my style, launch some big airs, and get some sick barrels.
FSM: You went from grom contests, to swooping in Stab High. What was going through your head when you realized you’d won the Ladybirds division?
SS: I couldn’t believe it, honestly. It’s been a dream of mine to win the Stab High event and for it to be my last year competing in the Ladybirds division was a cherry on top. For it to be my first time in Australia and trying the URBN wave pool for the first time. We only got like 7 attempts on the air wave the day before the comp, so I was definitely nervous since you only get a certain amount of waves and you have to complete your wave. But I’m super happy I put it together during my heats and showcased my surfing. My first trip to Australia is something I’ll never forget.
FSM: You’ve surfed both ocean breaks and wave pools. What can a wave pool teach you that the ocean can’t? And vice versa?
SS: At the wave pool you know what the wave is gonna do so you can visualize what you already want to do on the wave— but in the ocean you have no idea what it has in store for you, so you kinda just have to go with the flow. Wavepools can definitely help your surfing but it’s a different thing. Being able to read the ocean, currents etc is a skill in itself. But probably the best thing in a wave pool is that you don’t have to battle people for waves. Everyone has to take turns. Ha!
FSM: Aerial surfing is a blend of athleticism and artistry. When you’re mid-flight, what’s going through your mind?
SS: Lots of things are going through my mind, when and where to hit the section, making sure I grab if I’m trying to grab, hoping my board doesn’t flip over, spot my landing and try to stick it and ride out clean.
FSM: That really shows both precision and artistic awareness. What’s your pre-heat ritual? Any lucky charm or food you won’t compete without?
SS: It depends, normally I get there like an hour before my heat and watch the waves and heats before mine. Do a little warm up. I used to listen to music but lately I haven’t been. Really trying to get away from the crowd and be in a quiet place— to be in the present moment and to visualize what I’m doing. I usually try to eat a banana or something that will give me energy so I’m not full in my heat— and drink lots of water.
FSM: You and your brother Stone were doing beach cleanups long before most kids -or adults- were thinking about microplastics. How has that sense of responsibility shaped the way you see your role in the surf community now?
SS: It’s something we started at an early age with our parents. We made these sand sifters to clean up micro plastics and nails in the sand from people burning pallets on the beach. It’s definitely shaped me to be more aware about the importance of protecting the ocean. And yeah, if people have seen that I hope it encourages them to be mindful of their actions and take care of our environment. We volunteer with 808cleanups when they do clean ups on the North Shore. Volunteering with a group is an easy way for people to get involved, it makes you feel like you get a lot done.
FSM: How do you see your role as an ocean ambassador evolving — especially with social media giving you a platform?
SS: It’s just something I’ve grown up doing and actually I haven’t posted much about it on social media lately— but we are still out there doing it. I understand the influence on social media and that allows the possibility for more people to see what you are doing. It can be used in so many positive ways and if I were able to get just one person to change or do something beneficial that would be awesome.
FSM: The North Shore is home to so many stories. How do you stay grounded as your career expands beyond Hawaiʻi?
SS: Just showing respect and gratitude. I try not to take anything for granted. I’m proud to represent the Hawai’ian flag around the world and to represent my family, my friends, my community. Definitely being from Hawai’i means the world to me.
FSM: Outside of surfing, what fills your cup when the ocean goes flat?
SS: When it’s flat I love to go hiking, doing pilates at The Den, diving for shells with my friends, and obviously gotta do some schoolwork.
FSM: Stand on that business with all ten toes! Education is important. So are friends. You once said your goal was simply to “share the stoke of surfing.” Has that goal evolved?
SS: It hasn’t really evolved more from that, I just try to give back as much as I can, especially to those younger than me. Everyone should be happy while surfing, it’s not all about just going out surfing and catching waves and going home. Surfing is a sport but also a lifestyle that brings people and communities together.
FSM: What do you hope young girls watching you now take away from your journey? Not just your results, but your attitude?
SS: I hope they know one day they can achieve something big if they work hard and keep focus on their dream. Always make sure you’re nice to people in and out of the water so people will treat you the way you want to be treated. And I hope younger and older girls out there can just go out there have fun, push themselves, and do it because they love it.
FSM: I love that, so many people can benefit from adopting that frame of mind. Now, lets say your surfboard could write a haiku, what would it say?
SS: salty spray on deck
carving lines with grace and speed
oceans rhythm calls
FSM: And finally — eight years from now, what do you hope people will think when they hear the name Skai Suitt?
SS: I’ll be 23. Hopefully I will have accomplished some of my competitive goals …but I just want to be known as a nice person who is passionate about the lifestyle and community of surfing. Girls’ surfing has really progressed lately and is in a really good place. I hope to continue my own progression and be known as someone who pushes the sport forward.
Skai Suitt returns to the pages of FSM as one of Hawaiʻi’s brightest young women — thoughtful, articulate, and still brimming with the stoke that carried her from Sunset Beach to the global stage. Though she downplays social media activism, she puts it into practice. Equipped with a pragmatic environmental ethic, she’s less interested in optics and more in ongoing stewardship… Ocean guardianship captained not by self-promotion, but in leading by example. The quiet consistency of her actions says more than any instagram caption could. A real ambassador doesn’t need to announce her role — she just keeps showing up.
Her pride in being from Hawai’i has nothing to do with status, and everything to do with responsibility. She embodies valuable aspects of aloha and kuleana, connecting Hawaiʻi’s surf heritage with global surf culture. Goals that underline an evolution of form, of flow, of spirit. She speaks of chasing comfort in bigger surf, perfecting the details that rule grace and gravity. She wants to push the boundaries of women’s performance, yes. However, it seems to me that she wants to do it beautifully.
Finally, Skai’s comment on her legacy is simple and powerful: “I just want to be known as a nice person who is passionate about the lifestyle and community of surfing.” This is striking to me. It frames kindness as a legacy goal.
This young woman is carving her own path with equal parts humility and hunger. For Skai Suitt, the future of surfing isn’t just about how high you can soar, but how you stay connected to the ocean that propels you.
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