Kolohe Andino (born March 22, 1994) is an American surfer. Andino began surfing at a young age and holds the record for winning the most National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) titles of any male competitor, becoming the youngest to win one at age 15 in 2009. His breakthrough happened in 2011 after he won the Vans Pier Classic and the ASP 6-Star Quiksilver Brazil Open of Surfing. In 2019, Andino qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics in surfing.
His name, Kolohe, means "little rascal" in Hawaiian.[1]
Surfing career
Son of top-ranked surfer, Dino Andino, Kolohe Andino began surfing at a young age as he followed his father on surfing trips; by age 8, Andino had already begun fielding sponsors who wished to represent him. By high school, he had retained professional surfer Mike Parsons as his coach and at age 15, Andino became the youngest winner of an National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) title and holds the record for the most NSSA championships won by a male competitor, at nine overall. That same year, Andino also won two USA Surfing championship titles at the Lower Trestles in the Under 16 and Under 18 competitions.[2]
Andino's breakthrough event happened in 2011 when he won both the ASP 6-Star Quiksilver Brazil Open of Surfing[3] and the Vans Pier Classic world tour events.[4][2] On January 8, 2015, he triumphed in the first-ever World Surf League (WSL) event, the World Surf League Surf City Pro held in Huntington Beach, California.[5]
In 2019, Andino qualified to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics for surfing by finishing as one of the top two Americans at the 2019 World Surf League, and one of the top ten surfers overall.[1]
Andino is the first U.S. surfer ever to have qualified for the Olympic games.[6] At the Olympics, he was eliminated in the quarterfinal round by Japan's Kanoa Igarashi.[7]
In February 2021, while preparing for the year's WSL competitive season, Andino sprained his right ankle and re-aggravated the injury the following month, forcing him to require surgery and withdraw from the Australia leg of the tour.[8][2]Kolohe only took part in events again at the last event of the year, the Corona Open Mexico.
For the 2022 season, because of his injury and his record on the Tour, he received the WSL Season Wildcard.[9] He finished the season in 20th place. In the 2023 season, Kolohe didn't have good results and didn't reclassify for the following season. Since then he has continued in the WSL in smaller events, but without returning to the Championship Tour.
Personal life
Andino married his wife, Madison Aldrich, in San Clemente, California on January 7, 2018.[10] The couple was expecting their first child in 2021.[2]
Career Victories
| WQS Wins | |||
| Year | Event | Venue | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Coastal Edge ECSC Pro produced by the Virginia Beach Jaycees | Virginia Beach, Virginia |  United States
|
| 2022 | O'Neill Cold Water Classic | Santa Cruz, California | United States
|
| 2015 | Allianz Billabong Pro Cascais | Guincho, Cascais |  Portugal
|
| 2015 | Hurley Australian Open | Manly Beach, New South Wales |  Australia
|
| 2015 | Shoe City Pro | Huntington Beach, California | United States
|
| 2011 | Fantastic Noodles Kangaroo Island Pro | Kingscote, South Australia | Australia
|
| 2011 | Quiksilver Brazil Open of Surfing | Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro | United States
|
| 2011 | Super Surf International | Ubatuba, Sao Paulo |  Brazil
|
| 2011 | Coastal Edge ECSC | Virginia Beach, Virginia | United States
|
| 2011 | Vans Pier Classic presented by Jack's Surfboards | Huntington Beach, California | United States
|
| Juniors Wins | |||
| Year | Event | Venue | Country |
| 2011 | Vans Pro Junior | Huntington Beach, California | United States
|
References
- ^ a b McDougall, Chrös (October 18, 2019). "Kolohe Andino Becomes First U.S. Surfer Ever to Qualify for the Olympic Games". United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on October 19, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Connelly, Laylan (June 18, 2021). "Kolohe Andino's wild ride into surfing's Olympic debut". Orange County Register. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ "Kolohe Andino Wins the ASP 6-Star Quiksilver Brazil Open of Surfing". Association of Surfing Professionals. October 23, 2011. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ^ Connelly, Laylan (March 28, 2011). "O.C. surfer wins big at Vans surf contest". Orange County Register. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ "Kolohe Andino wins 2015 WSL Shoe City Pro". wakewindandsurf.com. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
- ^ Kolohe Andino becomes first US surfer ever to qualify for the Olympic Games Team USA
- ^ "Surfing - IGARASHI Kanoa vs ANDINO Kolohe - Quarterfinals - Heat 1 Results". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Connelly, Laylan (March 25, 2021). "Olympic hopeful Kolohe Andino injured, withdraws from upcoming surf contests". Orange County Register. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ "The WSL's 2022 Season Wildcards Revealed". Stabmag. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
- ^ "Holiday Highlights: Some Quality Downtime with the Pros". World Surf League. January 7, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
