The thing about Kai Lenny, one of the greatest watermen the world has ever known, is that Kai is unapologetically…Kai. He’ll tell you that he wants catch the biggest wave ever surfed on the planet, and in the same breath, tell you that he’d like to surf Shipstern’s Bluff specifically so he could try a chop-hop down that infamous Shipstern’s step. No shame in Kai’s game. With a first name that literally means “ocean” in Hawaiian, and Waterman as his middle (it’s actually an old German family name), it’s like Kai was born to be great. Recently dropping his new series with Red Bull “Life of Kai,” which shows all the struggles and trips it takes to get to greatness, Jamie Mitchell sat down with the man in the newest episode of the Late Drop.
Show Highlights
0:00: The recent giant Nazare swell, Seeing the biggest waves he’d ever seen there, Towing with Lucas, Ian and Maya during that swell, The difference between Nazare’s power and other big waves
21:33: Risk vs reward in certain big waves, Smaller period bigger swell sessions, The Jaws swell in 2012 that Shane Dorian starred in, Surfing banned at Nazare at moment
30:58: Kai’s backstory, growing up on Maui, Maui as an epicenter of ocean sports, Watching Jaws, Laird as a kid and becoming obessed with the wave
42:33: The next generation of Kai Lennys on Maui, The guys Kai considered superheroes as a kid in big waves, The moment Laird Hamilton and Dave Kalama invited him out to Jaws as a kid, The genius of Dave Kalama, Rush Randall inspiration, Robbie Naish
59:17: Becoming your own person, Achieving your personal goals, Not letting ego get in your way
1:02:22: Sharing the spotlight when towing a partner, the joy of sharing the big wave experience, Homeschooling vs normal school, Sacrificing school to travel for career, Being sponsored as an “alternative surfing” athlete
1:13:15: Teaming up with Red Bull young and filming his life, Kai’s new “Life of Kai” series, Where big-wave surfing is headed in next 5 years, Wanting to be the best big-wave surfer in the world, Advice for the next generation
1:31:56: Kai’s 5 to finish questions
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamiemitcho.substack.com
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