Who is the face of Japanese surfing on tour?
It is impossible to find man, woman, non-specified or child who is not inspired by former World Surf League rookie of the year and current number five Connor O’Leary. The Cronulla-born screw foot is generally soft-spoken, “letting his surfing do the talking, gotta love that,” as Joe Turpel might say.
Surf fans were, thus, shocked today when the cherubic 30-year-old fired a heavy shot directly over Olympic silver medalist Kanoa Igarashi.
O’Leary, you see, while Cronulla-born, has a Japanese mother along with an Australian father though officially shifted allegiance from the latter to the former six-ish months ago, stating, “I‘m excited to announce that in 2024 I will be representing Japan on the WSL World Tour. I will also seek representation for Japan at the Paris 2024 Olympics by competing in the next ISA World Surfing Games.”
With the Paris Games merely five months away, O’Leary sat down with The Guardian and discussed the switch, saying, “It’s been a conversation, a thought for a long time. (But) due to the timing of the Olympics, a lot of people have said: ‘it’s just because he couldn’t get into the Australian team.’”
Which, by the way, is a fact seeing that Jack Robinson and Ethan Ewing will be representing the Lucky Country at “The Place of Broken Skulls.”
O’Leary has yet to qualify for Japan but will, potentially, after the World Surfing Games just underway in Puerto Rico. The aforementioned Igarashi has qualified and maybe cause for the fusillade?
For after discussing his upbringing and personal goals, O’Leary openly declared, “I want to see some Japanese surfers on the tour in the next couple of years – there’s so much talent. To be that face on the tour for them, and help the Australian kids as well, what more can you ask for?”
Boom.
Stripping figurehead status straight from Igarashi’s grasp.
In this unforeseen blood feud, who do you see coming out on top?
I’ve got to go with Kanoa. His surfing sparkled at Sunset and he also model-handsome.
Feel free to disagree.
