Hometown surfer rises high in competition while staying grounded in family

EWA—The summer swells may have brought the surf, and the crowds, to town. However one west side surfer has created his own swell of success highlighted by a win last week at the Junior Pro. Keanu Asing, out of Ewa Beach, won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) North America Pro Junior Series Grade-3 Arnette All-Day Antics Pro Junior last Sunday, June 7, when he secured the win with the highest heat total score of the entire event, a 16.67 out of 20.

Held in chest to head high waves and mixed-up conditions at Newport Beach, California, Asing ousted fellow competitors Evan Geiselman, 16, from New Smyrna Beach, Florida; Albee Layer,19, from Maui; and Kolohe Andino, 16, from San Clemente, California.

“I kind of had not such a good run at the last two Grade-2 events,” Asing said. “So coming here, getting this one … I felt like I had a bit of a confidence booster. I’m just happy to have a win and to make a final again is just epic.”

Asing was the runner-up at the 2009 Arnette Pro Junior, but this year he quietly advanced through his early round heats going unnoticed before lighting it up in the finals with his powerful surfing to improve upon last year’s performance and clinch his first event win of 2010.

The Arnette Pro win is added to a stack of big wins, like Asing’s victory at the Billabong Jr Pro in Bali in 2008 and two-first place finishes at the SIMA US Championships that same year in the 16 & under and 18 & under divisions. With big name sponsors including Billabong, Von Zipper, and Future Fins, Asing has already made a name for himself before turning 18. Despite the success, his family said nothing has gone to his head.

“I’m very proud of his accomplishment and very excited for him,” said his sister Ashley Asing. “I’m happy at the way he has represented Hawaii and our family so well and that he is still the same Keanu no matter what he accomplishes, he is still grounded.”

The events Grade-3 status gives surfers larger amounts of points compared to lower grade events that will help toward qualification for the ASP World Junior Pro Tour.

This win at the Arnette Pro Junior event not only gave Asing a $3,000 check, but also gives Asing the highest position among Hawaii surfers on the ASP Norm America Pro Junior Series, jumping from No. 5 to No. 2 in overall rankings. With one event left in the ASP Pro-Junior North America Series, this standing will help his goal of a repeat appearance at the ASP World Junior tour. The top four ranked surfers automatically qualify for the ASP World Junior Tour.

“This is just such a relief for my rating to qualify for Worlds,” Asing said. “This year, just solidifying my position to go to worlds, it’s just amazing. I’m excited to go, I can’t wait.”

Born into a surfing family, there was little chance Asing wasn’t going to grow up and rip. Growing up on the Oahu’s west side, Asing had to persevere through the crowded lineup of Oahu’s south shore by staying humble to the elders or “old timers.”

“Our parents raised us to never forget where we come from. To always be humble and to always be ourselves no matter what,” said Ashley, a sophomore at St. John’s University on a volleyball scholarship.

Next up Keanu will compete in the Surfing America US Championships (San Clemente, CA) and NSSA Nationals (Huntington Beach, CA) later this month.