Hayden Rodgers Doesn’t Lose in Mexico (Video)

Originally posted on SURFER | By August Howell | Last updated Nov 25, 2025 10:57 PM ET

You may not have known his name, but if you watch Jacob Vanderwork’s Feels Like Yesterday, you know of a certain air launched at the San Clemente Pier that, in a film dominated by the Colapinto brothers, held its own gravitas.

The move was Hayden Rodgers’ defining moment of the film, but the blonde 19-year-old has continued to boost off lefthanders both in and out of a jersey. Recently, he punched ramps to much aplomb to win the Corona Cero Surf Open Cerritos, a QS 2,000 in Los Cerritos, Mexico.

After making the final at the La Margina Pro in Puerto Rico earlier this month, Hayden came into Mexico blazing. I don’t have the exact numbers on me, but his make-rate was clinical and consistent from round to round. Maybe three falls over the last two days. And he saved his best for the final. Just after the horn signaled the start, he popped a comical straight air for a 9.75. His opponent, Ryan Huckabee, had seen Hayden get the better of him last year at the Puerto Escondido QS contest. Despite Ryan’s best efforts, there was no stopping Hayden again. The youngster is now 2-0 and undefeated in Mexico.

“I'm just psyched to take this thing out,” Hayden said. “We had a rematch of our Puerto Escondido heat last year, which is insane. I had a similar plan today as I've had all the events and just kept looking for those left ramps and I was able to start off the final with that 9.75, so I'm stoked. These events are super hard, so just being able to be a little more consistent this year is what I'm stoked on.”

The way to the warpath was blocked with guys who have multiple QS wins on their resume. Hayden had to get past powerful regularfoot Lucas Cassity, then dispatch Barbados savant Josh Burke. The win helped the 19-year-old jump to No. 2 in the North American QS regional rankings. Only five events count on the rankings, and Hayden has a first, second, fifth and 25th to his name. Only Ventura’s Dimitri Poulos is ahead of him. If Hayden holds that spot over the home stretch(with Morro Bay up next month), he’s a lock for the 2026 Challenger Series.