"In Griffin's half-cut, vitriolic desire for Kanoa to lose, you might even recognise something of yourself."
Episode Six of Make Or Break, Season 2 deals with the rivalry between Kanoa Igarashi and Griffin Colapinto.
And what a delicious little meta-narrative that is. One that has not been properly excavated in the sugary-sweet confines of the WSL, trapped behind the Wall Of Positive Noise.
Thankfully, the more honest people at Box to Box Films have done it for us.
The episode left me yearning for future match-ups between the two surfers, and in my mind that makes it a roaring success.
It reveals an intense and genuine rivalry between Kanoa and Griff, based on the fact they’ve competed against one another since their earliest days, come from rival surf towns, and share the same coach in Tom Whitaker.
It’s a little like gamboling kittens, but the bitterness of this rivalry doesn’t come across as manufactured. Griffin and Kanoa are ostensibly friends who just want to beat each other in the water, but I was left feeling this episode might put a bullet in that friendship.
I recently shared a wave or two with Kanoa. A sunset session on a building swell at a little surfed beachie in west Portugal. There were only four or five of us in the water. And when I say “shared a wave” I do mean took off on some closeouts while Kanoa boosted the sections.
I did, however, manage one smooth bottom turn to hack just in front of Mr Igarashi as he was walking up the beach in the golden dusky light. In my mind it was both stylish and highly atmospheric. I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to speak for Kanoa, but I’m certain he felt the same.
As we changed at our cars I debated going over to introduce myself, but it’s never a good look to approach a stranger in a state of undress, and even less so when the word “BeachGrit” might well be a poisoned dart in your mouth. Little better, perhaps, than going over and saying “Hi Kanoa, we haven’t met, but I’m Jamie from the Hitler Youth.”
All this is to say, we’re oft cruel about Kanoa in this little corner of the internet, and I both do and don’t understand why.
Oh, I know he’s a bit of a poseur. The gold chains, white shirts and even whiter rap tastes don’t do it for me either.
Huntington Beach is a place I’ve never been, but hardly need to.
David Scales.
But it’s not Kanoa’s fault that his parents realised a vicarious dream through him.
Defection to Japan over the USA might be viewed as shrewd, affected, disingenuous, or any number of other things, but his Japanese heritage is undeniable. Christ, there are more than a few of you who’d claim Scottish or Irish roots purely on the strength of a McSomebodyOrOther coloniser or criminal down the line.
And then there’s his attitude and general demeanour. Yes, Kanoa is confident. Yes, Kanoa believes he has the ability to be world champion. Nay, he deserves it!
So what’s wrong with that?
The man’s a pro surfer, he knows little else. If you can’t admire his dedication to this cause then more fool you. Give me thirty-two Kanoas on Tour. Watch them eat each other like a human centipede.
Kanoa’s exuberant claims make great viewing. They’re a gift for TV producers highlighting meaningful moments in dreary heats.
Another takeaway from this episode was how dreamy Teahupo’o looks, a fact often alluded to by the WSL but rarely conveyed beyond an establishing shot of the deliciously green mountains. However, when you see it from the perspective of Griffin and Kanoa’s accommodation, homes on stilts with their own docks and boats to zip you out to a tropical reef pass, it’ll make you question many life choices.
This episode will also make you wonder how on earth Griffin Colapinto won two events and didn’t finish in the top five? I don’t think I processed this properly at the time. That’s got to be a first in pro surfing history, right?
And if none of this is convincing so far, don your best BeachGrit regalia and watch for Griffin getting on the beers at Teahupo’o after he’s knocked out to watch Kanoa vs Jadson Andre.
In his half-cut, vitriolic desire for Kanoa to lose, you might even recognise something of yourself.
Essential, as the gaffer might say.
