Age: 14
Stance: Regular
Fifteen-year old Kolohe Andino joined Billabong’s team in 2006, when he had just turned 12. Surfing and winning competitions, (often in divisions older that his age category) Andino has made quite a name for himself in the several years since.
Currently a member of the coveted and elite USA Surf Team, he has now claimed two US National Championship titles, six NSSA National Championships, been a two-time “King of the groms.”
Currently representing his country on the coveted and elite US Surf Team, he has been competing in NSSA, World Junior Pros, and some selected WQS events - again, often against older competitors. Traveling frequently to surf in places including Tahiti, Equador, Hawaii, Mexico and Australia, he says his funniest moment over the past year was “getting ‘panced’ by Andrew Doheny in France!”
Surfing since he was five, Kolohe has racked up an impressive string of contest victories. Since winning the first competition he entered at 8 years old, “Brother” Andino has won the 2006 NSSA National Championship, the 2006 Western Surfing title in both the Mini-grom and Boys categories, as well as the 2005 Billabong Surf Rats National Championship.
The son of former surfing champion Dino Andino, Brother Andino (nicknamed Brother because he has two sisters and is the only son) lives with his family at Trafalgar Street in San Clemente.
In addition to competing in national contests, Andino will be leading the charge for Kustom Shoes, one of Billabong’s newly acquired brands. He will also be attending many of Billabong’s Surf Camps where he will be showing kids his own age how to improve their skills. He says Kelly Slater and Dane Reynolds have inspired him the most, picking two pretty strong role models himself.
Already a leader of the U.S.A. Surf Team, the 15-year-old regular footer still has plenty left to accomplish, and considering how competitive he seems to be, no one thinks he’ll have a problem figuring that one out.
Source: Billabong
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