08/12/2014
I LOVE HAWAII
Victory at the VANS World Cup of Surfing!
Yes, this is a love confession. It is an unconditional love. Over the years I have experienced some of my career highlights here on the North Shore. I have qualified for the world tour here in 2008, won the Reef Hawaiian Pro twice, but most of all I have surfed some of the best waves of my life here. I have been presented with wonderful encounters both in the ocean and outside I’ll never forget in my life. I have also been challenged on all fronts - as a human, competitor and surfer. Hawaii brings out the best in me and I love it for all of that. But somehow it seems it’s not a one-sided love affair. It seems Hawaii gives me love too. To find that wave in the final and win the VANS World Cup of Surfing is a dream come true for me. It’s a present after a hard fought battle on the European leg and it fills me up with energy. I am thankful. I want to thank my sponsors, my team and my family for all the support they have given me over the year. I also want to thank Hawaii. It’s not over yet … one more to go! I am ready!Picture: Kelly Cestari/ASP via Getty Images