BORN ON THE NORTH SHORE: NOA GINELLA

TRISTAN BOXFORD

Noa Ginella comes from the mecca of Surfing, on Oahu’s North Shore and has been brought up in the best way possible – with exposure to all forms of Ocean riding, making him look like a natural on whatever he rides. I have seen him surf Alaia boards (traditional flat Hawaii Surfboards with no fins), long boards, shortboards and of course stand Up boards, and he rides them all with ease, flow and style. I have seen him fish both above and below the water, and sail his Hawaiian sailing Canoe down the coast trawling. All the above position him as one of the unique well rounded ‘Watermen’ that come out of Hawaii that is adept in all forms of riding in the Ocean.

What I see in Noa is an impressive ability and beautiful style, the opportunity to mark his own stamp on the sport, something that the brands that have put their names behind that not only see it, but reap the benefits of the image that this gives them. Whether he can transform that into World Championship Titles remains to be seen, as it will require a change of mindset from endless flow, to the killer instinct and will to win. As it stands right now, when the conditions are barreling and Noa is in the groove, he is a major force to be reckoned with, as he showed at Pipeline here in Oahu this year as well as in Tahiti. However, transforming that into winning mindset in all conditions is another major feat that Noa will have to figure out in order to win a World Title – something he is extremely capable of doing if he puts his mind to it – but it is not something that will define him. His flow, style and laid back approach to surfing and life is who he is and what makes him the incredible athlete and personality that he is in his own right.

Tristan Boxford/CEO/The Waterman League

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