Keanu Asing is making moves in 2011. The 17-year-old ‘Ewa Beach native recently inked a new sponsorship with Fox Racing, and is excited about the new deal. Asing is currently in Australia for a couple of WQS events and getting shots with the new logo on his board. I caught up with Keanu at Starbuck’s at Kamehameha Shopping Center. Asing was with his BFF Ezekiel Lau and they were planning out editorial for the next issue of Free Surf Magazine, which they will be guest editors. After the ed meeting, I chopped it up with Keanu about his new deal, old sponsor and his signature Kamehameha Fitted.

Daniel Ikaika Ito: Itʻs a new year and I noticed a new sticker on the nose of your Local Motion boards?

Keanu Asing: I recently signed with Fox Racing and I do not ride for Billabong anymore. Glad to be a part of a new family.

DII: What was your best experience while riding for Billabong?

KA: My best experience was making a lot of friendships. Not just friendships, but family friends. It was like I was a part of a family at Billabong. Theyʻre really good people. There was a couple of things on the business side that I didnʻt like, but Iʻll always be friends with them. Being a part of (Billabong) was awesome.

DII: How did working with Billabong Coach Rainos Hayes elevate your surfing?
KA: Rainos Hayes was a big part of my sponsorship with Billabong. He got me so attached to the brand and he built my surfing to where Iʻm at right now. Without him I donʻt think I would be where Iʻm at right now and I wouldnʻt have any titles that I do have. So, thank you, Rainos. He played a big part of my career so far and tried to lead me into the way of a professional surfer.

DII: So what bummed you out on the business side?
KA: I built such a great relationship with all the guys from Billabong and having to leave was really sad. But, you have to get past the friendship-side and nobody is working on the same team in surfing so you have to look out for yourself.

DII: Who helps you get past the friendship-side and with all the negotions in the surf industry?
KA: John Shimooka is my manager, as well as Kurt Jacobs. For them to help me out is huge so I donʻt have to worry about the (business) stuff and I can just worry about my surfing. I can work on what I gotta to do in the water and my attitude.

DII: What are looking forward to with this new endeavor with Fox Racing?
KA: Just building my profile and just try to be a star player at Fox. Trying to climb up the ladder at Fox.

DII: How is Fox Racing different from other surf brands?
KA: Itʻs kind of like a Nike where they attack different sports markets and not just surfing. Fox Racing came from motorcross so itʻs different and itʻs cool to be a part of a different family from a different side of action sports. Hopefully, one day I can watch the super cross.

DII: Who do you look up to the most on the Fox Racing team?

KA: Definitely Ian Walsh because heʻs from Hawai‘i. Itʻs just cool to watch him surf because he rips. Heʻs an all around great surfer?

DII: So are you going to be towing into Jaws now with Ian?

KA: (laughs) Uh…maybe. Hopefully, one day.

DII: Since youʻre riding for Fox, did you buy a dirt bike yet?

KA: Iʻll probably get me (50cc) one day. Not a 150cc. Not a 250cc. Just a fifty to cruise around.

DII: Anything else youʻd like to add?

KA: Iʻd like to say thanks to Fitted for all the support through these ups and downs. Thanks for always having my back in surfing.

DII: Speaking of Fitted, how did you feel when Ezekiel Lauʻs signature Kamehameha outsold yours?

KA: I thought it was a cheat because Zeke was there and I wasnʻt.

Ezekiel Lau: Whose fault is that?

KA: Because Iʻm more of an Aloha guy, and Zeke…

EL: Nelson was there.

KA: And, Zeke is not so much an Aloha guy like me. Iʻm friends with everybody and him (pointing to Zeke) Iʻm not too sure. He has no hair. (laughs) Nah, Zekeʻs the man. Iʻm stoked for him, but he beat me at everything: Nationals and wearing his Fitted hat. Everybody bought his and not mine. It bummed me out. Next time we do that Iʻm making a way more better hat.

DII: Why do you think his hat sold more than yours?

KA: Because he was there telling everybody to buy his hat. I had one more hat left and it was probably a size 7, which pretty much only fits a baby. And, he was there telling everybody to buy his hat and probably told them that he would pay them to buy his hat. (laughs)

DII: Thatʻs so heavy.

KA: Thatʻs what happened. (laughs) Thatʻs why itʻs so heavy because thatʻs what he did. Itʻs fact.

DII: So where were you at that time?

KA: I was actually hurt in California doing rehab on my ankle.

EL: Whoa. Ok.

KA: I was. Wasnʻt I?

EL: You were in Cali.

DII: Golfing?

KA: I was probably golfing in California, hitting birdies while these guys were selling hats. (laughs) No, Iʻm just kidding. I was actually in California doing some event and I was really bummed I didnʻt get to make it. Next time Iʻll be there supporting my hat and supporting Fitted.

Ezekiel Lau’s custom Kamehameha

Ezekiel Lau bleeds blue and silver. The Kamehameha Schoolʻs colors runs through the 16-year-oldʻs veins. Lau recently returned from Southern California where he represented for his school and ‘āina. Lau led the Kamehameha Surf Team at the National Scholastic of Surfing Association Nationals Championships at Huntington Beach, winning the High School Varsity Mens title and helping the team to a 7th place overall finish. Individually, he also won the NSSA Explorer Mens championship. This was the first year that Kamehameha Surf Team competed at NSSA Nationals and they were the only school from Hawai‘i competing this year. Lau also placed third in the 18-and under division at the Surfing National Championships held at Lower Trestles in San Clemente. He followed up those Californian results with a Rip Curl Grom Search 16-and under victory, qualifying the 6-foot, Native Hawaiian for the Rip Curl National Championships. Lauʻs signature, limited-edition Kamehameha New Era reflects the pride he has for Kamehameha and being a Native Hawaiian with its royal blue and silver color way.

Keanu Asing’s custom Kamehameha

There is a competitive fire smoldering inside Keanu Asing. The burning desire to win motivated the ‘Ewa Beach local to move to California. This proved fruitful for the 16-year-old, regular foot since he won the Arnette Junior Pro at Newport Beach in June. Currently, Asing is ranked first in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) North America Pro Junior standings. With an International Surfing Association (ISA) 16-and under world championship under his belt, Asing is gunning for another big win – the ASP World Junior championship in Narrabean, Australia. Heʻs already qualified to compete in this event and will head to Oz late this year. Past ASP World Junior champs like Kekoa Bacalso and Andy Irons have gone on to successful pro surfing careers on the World Tour. Asing knows this and fuels his competitive fire with it. Set on an all-black New Era, the Kamehameha logo of Asingʻs signature, limited-edition hat is red to represent the burning desire to win.

Nelson Ahina III’s custom Kamehameha

Nelson Ahina has soul. You can see it in the 17-year-oldʻs approach to surfing. Ahina can rip on a shortboard, but longboarding is where his style is truly showcased. The lanky, Native Hawaiian is a prolific noserider and watching him weightlessly hang ten is a brilliant display of traditional longboarding. But, his loose surfing off the tail of his T&C 9ʻ0” is a nod to modern Hawaiian longobarding. Ahinaʻs roundhouse is a high speed, power maneuver that very few of his waveriding peers can mimic. In fact, Ahina is by far the best longboarder in his generation, and is actully one of the only young , Hawaiian surfers with the ability to compete on an international level. Ahinaʻs coming out in the longboarding is similar to professional waterman Duane DeSoto. They both came on the scene younger then the current crop of longboarders and with the skill to punt airs with a big board. Progressive soul is arguably the best way to describe Ahinaʻs surfing, and he incorporated this into his signature, limited-edition New Era Kamehameha. The camouflage background is a testament to the Hawaiian soul and the yellow bill is flashy like Ahinaʻs roundhouse.

Here’s a short clip we put together covering the day the boys were at the office designing the three custom Kamehamehas you see above.

There will also be a contest held for the three custom Kamehamehas. Whoever’s hats sell out the quickest will win a custom created matching t-shirt. Vote & purchase your favorite!

When you look at the results of the Red Bull Rivals voting and the Fitted surf team riders, you can almost hear Jay-Z’s latest single, “Run This Town,” in the background.

“Feel it comin’ in the air
And the screams from everywhere
I’m addicted to the care
It’s a dangerous love affair
Can’t be scared when it goes down
Got a problem, tell me now
Only thing that’s on my mind
Is who’s gonna run this town tonight…
Is who’s gonna run this town tonight…
We gonna run this town”

That’s because the popularity of the Fitted ‘Ohana – Keanu Asing, Kekoa Cazimero and Ezekiel Lau – was demonstrated with the peer poll results. Keanu Asing was the only surfer to be voted onto both teams, but is choosing to surf for the South Shore with Cazimero and Lau.

In addition, Kekoa Cazimero was the overall top-vote-getter of the poll and Town Team with 185 nods from his peers and the fans. Koa Boi is a heavily favored contender in this event because Sandy Beach is homebreak.

Red Bull Rivals is a one-day surf event pitting Oahu’s legendary shores (North Shore and South Shore) against each other. Top Surfers from each shore will battle it out in a head-to-head surf competition for ultimate island bragging rights. Besides bragging rights, teams will compete for a territory advantage in next year’s competition and the losing team has to give the winning team their surfboards (similar to “racing for pink slips”).

After weeks of voting, the Red Bull Rivals teams are set and preparing for the showdown between the North Shore and South Shore on Sept. 5 at Sandy Beach. The following rosters were derived from the Red Bull Rivals voting results:

We gonna run this Town tonight!
Watssup!

The Country (North Shore)
Jamie O’Brien
Kalani Robb
Pancho Sullivan
Kala Alexander
Liam McNamara
Rico Jimenez
Flynn Novak or Mason Ho (tied for votes)
John John Florence
Landon McNamara
Megan Abubo (although Coco Ho garnered the most votes she is unable to compete at Red Bull Rivals because it’s a non-sanctioned ASP event)

Town (South Shore)
Kekoa Cazimero
Jason Shibata
Joel Centeio
Jun Jo
Dustin Cuizon
Nick Mita
Sunny Garcia
Ezekiel Lau
Keanu Asing
Carissa Moore

The Red Bull Rivals one day surf event goes down Saturday, Sept. 5th at Sandys and will pit the North Shore vs the South Shore, bringing some of the greatest local rivalries from all across the island into one focal point. Contestants will be competing for each others surfboards (sort of like racing for pink slips) as well as territory advantage for the following year’s competition. For further information and rules / regulations, please visit this link and while you’re there, please vote for our team riders: Keanu Asing, Ezekiel Lau, Nelson Ahina and Kekoa Cazimero. Mahalo for your support!

Keanu putting in work….