Who Is James Kusitino? Meet Fiji’s First Pro Surfer

SURFER: When did you start surfing?

James Kusitino: I started surfing when I was five. That was down on the Coral Coast, where I grew up.

Do you remember your first time surfing Cloudbreak?

Yeah, I do.

What was it like?

It was scary. It was big. My first time surfing Cloudbreak, it was really big. It was actually during a competition. I surfed with Jake Maki. I don’t even remember catching a wave. I just got pounded. [Laughs.]

How long have you been surfing Cloudbreak?

I’d say, like, three years now. A solid three years. When I first surfed Cloudbreak I was, like, eight. In the last three years is when I really started surfing out there.

There’s been a lot of big names commending you on your style. What’s that been like?

I don’t know. It’s a feeling I can’t describe. These are my heroes.

Talk about that style. Who inspires you?

I watch a lot of Andy Irons, Tosh Tudor…all the style-masters out there. Rob Machado, I watched him a lot when I was small. Maybe I got it from that.

"My first time surfing Cloudbreak, it was really big...I don’t even remember catching a wave. I just got pounded. [Laughs.]"

James Kusitino

What makes Cloudbreak such a special wave?

Everyone from around the world, they come here just to surf this one wave. That’s pretty special. That’s where all the money comes from. They don’t come here to surf other waves; they come just for Cloudbreak. It’s the best wave in the world, from two-foot to 20-foot. It can handle any size.

What size do you like it?

I usually like it around six-foot. That’s what suits my surfing best. It hardly gets to 20-foot, so it’s rare to see a big swell out at Cloudbreak.

I notice a little scrape on your leg there. Is that from the reef at Cloudbreak?

[Laughs.] Yeah, it is actually. It was from about a month ago. I was out on the third reef, and I pulled into this massive closeout. It sucked me up, and took me straight onto the reef. You hardly hit the reef out there, because it’s so deep. It’s deep-water surfing when it’s big out there. But when you do hit the reef, it’s sharp. It’s all live coral.

Talk about the sponsorship with FORMER. What’s that like?

I was so shocked. Even my mom didn’t believe me. She was like, ‘I have to see the contract first.’ [Laughs.]

What’s it like seeing the World Surf League come here to your home, and to crown the new world champion?

It’s so awesome. I get to surf with all these pro surfers from around the world. They inspire me. Watching them surf makes me a better surfer.

And what about you? Do you plan on competing or going the free-surfer route?

I would love to do some comps here and there. I’d love to make it to the Eddie Aikau event at Waimea and the Pipe Masters. I can’t wait to put in time at Pipe. Then, also, the Teahupo’o trials. And then, obviously, I’d love to get a wildcard into the WSL event. I just wanna keep getting barreled. [Laughs.]