Kona Olaveira

The 15 year-old Hawaiian has been making a name for himself at Jaws, paddling every swell that hits the world’s ultimate big wave testing ground. When Kala Chapman says, “This kid won’t even be 16 until July and he’s been surfing Peahi  for a few years now. He’s actually born on the same day and same year as my youngest son Makani. The best part about this kid is that he’s humble and respectful. Big things in his future.” When Kala is bigging a kid up, you know he is the real deal. Kona also has been snavelling some big pits at Pipe this season and looks to be on a fast track to big wave status.

Kona Olaveira the face of a young charger in Fiji. Photo by Peter Joli Wilson

Riley Laing

“I surfed some big wave spots I’d never thought I’d surf in 2013. In this video there is Waimea, Backdoor, Pipeline, West Java, Bali, Shipsterns Bluff and more!!!” Not bad when you consider Riley is a 14 year old grom from the Central Coast. In fact his committent and talent in waves of consequence, be it macking Shipsterns, or huge Apocolypse, is absolutely frightening. If he is doing this type of insanity, when most kids are just happy to see some pubic hairs and finger the hot chick at school, what on earth will he be doing over the next three decades?

Tyler Larronde

With French heritage, his Dad Michael was born there before moving to Maui and being one of the big wave underground surfers of the ‘80s, Tyler scored the cover of Surfer on a giant Jaws wave when still in school back in 2012. These days he is headlining the next gen of Maui hellman, pushing the likes of Albee Layer, Matt Meola and Ian Walsh whenever the waves get serious. Quiet, unassuming and humble, he lets all his talking be done in the water.

Russel Bierke

“Russell has got the potential to be Australia’s best big wave surfer and there is a market developing very quickly with the sport jumping from strength to strength each year.” That was filmaker Tim Bonython, talking just after he had taken the 16-year-old grom from Ulladulla to surf a South Oz slab with Kelly Slater and Alex Gray. “Russ is so natural and talented in big wave conditions I was confident he had the ability to take on these waves, I knew these waves are world class and dangerous and he was up to it,” continued Bonython. Mentored by his hellman father Kirk, who also shapes his boards, Russel has forged a rep in the gnarliest South Coast slabs since aged 12 and recently was a standout at solid Ours. This is a grom whose future is big.

Mikey Wright

The next big thing to come out of the surfing conveyor DNA talent belt that is the Wright Clan, Mikey is starting to emerge from the shadows of elder bro Owen and big sister Tyler. Both of those, apart from having held number 2 spots in the ratings in their careers, are known for their talent in juice. 17 year old Mikey’s performances at Pipe over the last two seasons have been incredible and he looks set to follow in Owen’s footsteps, being both a big wave hellman, with a power based and creative all round act.

Mikey Wright displaying a serious set of figs at Pipeline. Photo by Peter Joli Wilson