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This is from the pages of our new mag ‘Issue 589’, which is on stands now, available for purchase online, or click here to subscribe and read all of
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In the quest for clear differentiation between one barrel and the next, competition at Pipe seems to be prompting increasingly more risk-taking. In this year’s Backdoor shootout there was a high casualty list. Billy Kemper was hauled off to hospital and Makua Rothman turned his knee into a landmine. Meanwhile, Kala Grace had to be revived on the beach and later rushed to hospital, after his helmet was blown-off during a wipeout and he was knocked unconscious by the next wave. In heavy situations such as these you want to know there is a highly-skilled driver aboard a ski who’s got your back. Like the rodeo clown who must leap to the defence of the tossed bull-rider, the ski-driver’s capacity to act quickly and effectively can be crucial.When Kala Grace got KO’d, Noland Keaulana (pictured in the driver’s seat, along with Kamalani Ahue in the rear, and Kamakani Froiseth in the background) knew Kala was in danger of going down and staying down.So when Kala got close enough he went off script, ditched the ski, leapt into the swirling violence and got a firm grip on the wounded competitor. It was a ballsy, split-second decision that might well have been the difference between life and death for Kala.
