Kanoa Igarashi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kanoa Igarashi |
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Igarashi in 2021
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| Personal information | |
| Born | October 1, 1997 Huntington Beach, California, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Weight | 171 lb (78 kg) |
| Surfing career | |
| Years active | Since 2012 (14) |
| Best year | 2022 - Ranked #5 WSL CT World Tour |
| Sponsors | Red Bull, Quiksilver, Oakley, Beats by Dr. Dre, Shiseido, G-Shock |
| Major achievements |
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| Surfing specifications | |
| Stance | Regular (natural foot) |
| Olympic medal record | ||
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| Men's surfing | ||
Representing  Japan |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Silver | 2020 Tokyo | Shortboard |
| World Games | ||
| Gold | 2022 Huntington Beach | Men |
| Silver | 2018 Tahara | Men |
| Silver | 2021 La Bocana | Men |
| Silver | 2021 La Bocana | Team |
| Bronze | 2019 Miyazaki | Team |
| Kanoa Igarashi | |||||
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| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 五十嵐カノア | ||||
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Kanoa Igarashi (Japanese: 五十嵐 カノア, Hepburn: Igarashi Kanoa, born October 1, 1997) is a Japanese-American surfer. He has been a professional surfer since 2012, competing in major events around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Surfing Dreams
Kanoa Igarashi was born on October 1, 1997. His father, Tsutomu, was a big fan of surfing in Japan. When his parents found out they were expecting him, they decided to move to Huntington Beach, California. This city is often called "Surf City" because it's famous for its waves. Their goal was to raise Kanoa to become a competitive surfer.
Kanoa started surfing very young, at just three years old. His dad would often wake him up early, around 5:45 AM, to go surfing before school. This early start helped him become very skilled. He won his first surfing trophy when he was only seven years old!
Kanoa's Surfing Career
Becoming a Pro Surfer
In 2016, Kanoa made history. He became the youngest rookie (a new competitor) to join the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). He was also the first surfer to represent Japan in the WSL. That year, he won more Round One heats than any other surfer. He finished second at the Pipeline event and 20th overall.
Big Wins and Olympic Dreams
Kanoa had some amazing wins in his hometown. He won the Vans U.S. Open WSL event in Huntington Beach two years in a row, in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, he achieved his first first-place finish at a WSL CT event. This was at the Corona Bali Protected event in Indonesia. He finished 6th overall in the WSL CT that year.
Because of his high ranking in the 2019 WSL CT, Kanoa qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. He represented Japan. The games were postponed to July 23, 2021, because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Olympic Silver Medal
The surfing competition for the Olympics was held at Tsurigasaki beach in Ichinomiya, Chiba prefecture. This beach was very special to Kanoa. It was the same beach his father, Tsutomu, used to surf at and even called "the Dojo" (a place for training). Kanoa performed incredibly well and won the silver medal at the Olympics.
Recent Achievements
Kanoa continued to shine in the surfing world. In the 2022 WSL CT, he had his best performance yet, finishing in the top 5. This allowed him to compete in the final event of the year, held in Trestles, California. He also qualified to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games. Kanoa is also a sponsored athlete by Red Bull.
Career Highlights
Kanoa Igarashi has achieved many impressive victories throughout his career. Here are some of his notable wins:
- 2019: Corona Bali Protected (WSL Championship Tour)
- 2018: Vans US Open of Surfing (World Qualifying Series)
- 2018: Pro Santa Cruz (World Qualifying Series)
- 2017: Vans US Open of Surfing (World Qualifying Series)
- 2017: Shoe City Pro (World Qualifying Series)
- 2016: Hang Loose Pro Contest (World Qualifying Series)
- 2016: Pantin Classic Galicia Pro (World Qualifying Series)
- 2015: Mahalo Surf Eco Festival (World Qualifying Series)
- 2015: Vans Pro (World Qualifying Series)
- 2014: Shoe City Pro (World Qualifying Series)
- 2015: Los Cabos Open of Surf (Juniors)
- 2015: Hurley Australian Open (Juniors)
See also
In Spanish: Kanoa Igarashi para niños
