Dissecting the World’s First Super Grom    
By Beau Flemister

Getting a few moments to do an interview with John John Florence was both a little difficult and a little not. Difficult, because he’s not making any effort to pencil me in, give me an exact time and date or cater in any way to my schedule. He’s probably had dozens of people like me prodding him every year since he was 10.

“John John, can I get an interview?” we ask.
“John John, can I get a photo?” we plead.
“And how about one with you and your family.
And can we get one with your mom in there too?”
we mutter.

Interview by Malia Manuel
Shane Valiere hits the books

Ask any pro hailing from Kaua‘i and he’ll tell you that the island is littered with underground rippers, who, for one reason or another, never went the professional route. Some despised competition, others were just plain over it and some went the school route. Shane Valiere is one of those that opted for books over boards. As the younger brother to Evan Valiere, Shane’s been a top-shelf surfer for all of his life. But when the time came to either join the WQS or go to school, Shane took a step back, examined his options and moved to San Diego to major in Marine Biology. It’s proved to be a beneficial choice as he’s still able to get lofty on a regular basis at the many beachbreaks near his house. All after his homework’s done, of course.

INTERVIEW BY BERNIE BAKER

I WAS PROBABLY one of the first young girls to get paid to do the tour. I was 16 and I was given money to travel and compete. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to buy my plane tickets and that was almost unheard of back then.

RELL SUNN was the one of the last people who I looked up to who was a true “water woman.” Look at what she did with her life and how many different directions she went with her career.

As we subtly mentioned on the cover, the loose theme binding this month’s issue together is centered around the Art of the Comeback. And right now, deep in the trenches of winter, when we utter the word “comeback” our minds instantly turn to Andy Irons. And it’s easy to see why. In the past few months an in shape and in-form A.I. has been spotted tearing the living hell out of the North Shore, leaving more than one media pundit feverishly plotting his comeback in 2010. As die-hard fans of Andy, with nearly a decade and a half of turning heads on the North Shore, we’ve learned one simple truth: The man produces. When Andy surfs, we shoot.

EDITOR'S NOTE
DIGGING DEEP

Everybody loves a comeback. An underdog. Someone on the ropes. It helps us reflect on the human condition and what it really takes to overcome adversity. When we see a boxer—cut, bleeding, bruised—but still digging deep, we see a little bit of ourselves in their shoes. Granted, most of aren’t going to step in the ring any time soon, but we’re all faced with challenges on an everyday basis. Things that force us to dig deep. Maybe it’s getting up an hour earlier and squeezing in a few dawn patrols throughout the work week, or maybe it’s something as simple as being a bit more productive at work, it could be argued that our lives are defined by adversity and how we react to it. We can all relate to being on the ropes. A wise man once told me that life is made up of 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent of how you react to it. At least that’s how I define living a good life, overcoming all of the shitty things that she’s constantly hurling at you. That’s a life worth living.

Hank Gaskell Speaks

There is no mold for Hank Gaskell. In an environment marked by swaggering pros and swollen egos, Hank’s set a reputation for himself over the years through his trademarked humility and composure. He’s garnered a few covers and numerous spreads with his knack for progressive surfing and clean lines acting as the siren’s call for photo eds the world over. It was the good life. But recently, like so many of us, Hank fell victim to the hard times and lost his sponsorship with Hurley after being with the brand since its inception. It stung, but after spending the last of his savings on a winter quiver, the Hana native set his sights on redemption. He put his nose to the grindstone and went to work proving to the industry that he remains one of Hawai‘i’s best, and most versatile, surfers.