Born in Huntington Beach, California, Kanoa Igarashi began surfing at the age of three, inspired by his parents. His early passion quickly evolved into exceptional talent, and he rose through the junior ranks with a string of standout performances across the U.S.
In 2016, Kanoa made his debut on the world's biggest stage, becoming the youngest surfer ever to qualify for the WSL Championship Tour (CT). In 2019, at the third stop of the tour, he captured his first CT event win-making history as the first Asian surfer to top the podium.
In 2021, Kanoa represented Japan at the Tokyo Olympic Games, where surfing debuted as an official event, and earned a silver medal under the global spotlight.
The following year, he claimed the world title at the ISA World Surfing Games, winning every heat from the opening round through the final.
Since then, Kanoa has continued to deliver consistent results on the CT, pursuing his long-awaited goal of becoming a CT Champion while continuing to refine his craft for the Olympic Games to be held in his hometown of Los Angeles.