INJURY UPDATE: Kolohe Andino Suffers Ankle Injury, Out Until Late August
Kolohe Andino (USA), 18, standout rookie on the elite ASP World Championship Tour, has been sidelined with an injury until late August.
SAN CLEMENTE, California/USA (Wednesday, July 11, 2012) – Being a rookie is a mixed bag. On the one hand, you have the freshness, the hype, the excitement and a new approach to surfing. On the other hand, you have to deal with expectation, inexperience and the world’s best surfers going for broke in every heat and on every wave.
Kolohe Andino (USA), 18, went on an absolute rampage in 2011, winning five events (two 4-Stars and three 6-Stars) and qualifying for “The Show” in 2012. California’s newest wunderkind had arrived and his technique, aerial prowess and chops in virtually all conditions had several pundits claiming “giant-slayer” before the season had even started.
“The Show”, however, always delivers a hidden intensity that is often masked behind the tour’s friendly exterior. At four events in, Andino has only posted two heat wins, currently sitting at No. 26 on the ASP World Championship Tour rankings.
Teething on one’s rookie year is hardly an original story, and Andino’s dominance at the ASP Prime and Star events had maintained (he currently sits at No. 18 on the ASP World Rankings). However, following the Volcom Fiji Pro, Andino suffered a serious ankle injury while training in San Clemente that has sidelined him for several weeks.
A serious blow to his rookie year campaign and a loss to fans around the globe who love seeing him throw down regularly, Andino is now rehabbing at home and the ASP called into the 18-year-old to see where his head’s at:
Describe for us how this injury happened:
“Basically, I was taking five days off because I had a small twinge in my right hip. During those five days, I was doing a juicing diet. On the sixth day, my hip felt good, the sun was out and I was all juiced up from a ginger, kale, spinach, jalapeño, carrot, garlic and lemon juice. I was frothing. There were little shoulder-high wedges on the shore at Riviera. Fun in the sun. I paddled out with my Dad, Morgan Maassen and Dylan Goodale, which gets me even more psyched because I love surfing with my Dad. It was a full froth fest. About ten waves in, a little left comes my way and I race down the line thinking, “John John (Florence)…John John…John John…full rotation…Rio de Janeiro…Final Against Parko.” I hit it, go in the air, do a 360 and land way too far in the flats. I heard a significant popping noise and started to scream. Froth fest over…”
What is the official diagnosis?
“Grade-3 high ankle sprain, Grade 2-3 Lisfranc ligament torn. I’m meant to be out of the water 8 – 10 weeks from June 21st at the earliest, but I am waiting until I am 100% before I put a jersey on. At that point, I will be really excited to compete again, but for the time being I am working as hard as I can. I’m 100% committed to doing everything in my power to aid in a speedy recovery.”
You were a highlight at Ballito last year, posting a 10, and everyone wanted to see you at Jeffreys Bay. I’m sure you’re disappointed in missing the South African leg this year. Can you give us some of your thoughts on it?
“Haha, I lost second heat at Ballito, but I guess I got a 10. It’s a bummer, but the torture of watching it online is good in a way. What I was I taking for granted then will now be a huge excitement in my life when I come back.”
Your surfing has been there this year on tour, but you’ve lost some tough heats. Sitting out for a few events and recovering from injury may have an adverse effect on your requalification campaign. Your thoughts on this?
“Well, at the time of injury, I was the No. 1 guy on the World Rankings that wasn’t in the Top 22 on the WCT so hopefully I won’t lose too much ground. Every week counts. There is an event everyday from Lowers to Pipe, so I’ll be very excited to get back and do all of these events.”
With a number of other high-profile surfers being injured for most of this year (Jadson Andre, Dusty Payne, etc.), there is a possibility of several applicants applying for the ASP wildcard come season’s end. Have you given any thought to this?
“Absolutely, it’s all I think about, but I will cross that bridge when I get there. If I do get back in time for the last dash to the end of the year, I will be trying my very hardest to get some results. For now, I am focusing on strengthening my body and mind to prepare for the tour once I’m healed. In regards to the question, I am not even sure how they pick them and who decides or if I will even need one. If worse comes to worse and I apply and don’t get a wildcard, I’ll just have to do the qualifying series next year and try my best to requalify. But being on the tour means everything to me and I want to do whatever it takes to maintain my spot. What I have learned with all this is that you don’t take anything for granted and live every second to its fullest because it can be snatched from you like that.”
We wish Andino a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him healthy and back in the water as soon as possible.
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com
Comments
Category: All ASP News, ASP Editorial News, ASP World Tour News
Considering that both surfers were sitting a 100 yards away from the safe take off zone a bomb would have wash him (Kolohe)thru and cleaned his clock. The announcers couldn’t beleive these guys had no clue were to sit or were the waves would come from.
This shows that some of the surfers comming into the CT clearly don’t have the skills to manage this level of surfing. It’s crazy that guys like Kolohe and others make it to the tour soley based on the QS. I am almost afraid for these guys that someone is going to get really hurt bad because of lack of experience. I don’t doubt these guys have talent but to claim your the best in the world at something has to mean you really are the best in the world.
Maybe QS guys should have to surf and place at all the CT breaks at least once to qualify to be accepted into the CT regardless of points. They would do this thru wildcards, sponsor and special invitations during their junior pro and QS years. This way they earn the experience they need to compete. That being said, there is more than ample opportunity for the young pros today to surf any break they want to get this experience, John John and Medina managed to make it a priority in thier career, I don’t think there are any excuses for Kolohe and others.
@Chard
It *is* fair to say, hes not stepping up like others are. Saying *if* he got a bomb is ridiculous, its part of competitive surfing. Sure its possible that he could live up to the hype, but so far, he is not.
Anthony hit the nail on the head, he can’t compete with the worlds best unless its in small shitty surf. All this hype is really annoying, but fitting that nike and target are his sponsors.
John John and Medina have been out surfing him without all the hype, and people love them more because of it.
And just in time for chopes, way to go buddy. Hope the chop hop fest was worth giving up your spot in the show…
No great loss, he’s not in the same league as John John or Medina. His dad should have taken him to some real surf spots instead of parading him around Trestles doing chop hops for Target. His Fiji showing was painfully embarassing for sure.
anthony thats not reall fair to say since his heat at fiji sucked. the waves where horrid and he was waiting up the point for a bomb which never came. if the bomb came he would have been a hero. but the ocean can mess your game plan up for sure!