Overview
“For me, my thing has always been kind of ride whatever makes the most sense for those conditions, so if it’s perfect surf then I’m going to go out and ride a shortboard and make the most of that, but if it’s howling windy or maybe it’s a reef that’s pretty far out, I’ll use the kite or SUP or if it’s small now with foiling as well.”
Keahi de Aboitiz is a professional waterman from Noosa, Australia. Not confined to kiteboarding, he rides everything with a board at the world’s highest level—from stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and prone foiling to pure surfing at the Hawaiian Pipeline and paddle-in surfing at Jaws. Loved by the ocean and loving it in return, he is truly the “Ultimate Waterman” and is currently based in Oahu, Hawaii.
Career
A master of all boards, Keahi’s versatility is unmatched. In the wave discipline of kitesurfing, he reigned as the undisputed king, winning the World Championship four years in a row from 2012 to 2015. His titles span both the KSP (Kite Surf Pro) tour in 2012 and 2013, and the PKRA (Professional Kiteboard Riders Association) tour in 2014 and 2015. Furthermore, he has also been crowned champion on the SUP World Tour, proving his immeasurable pedigree as a multi-sport athlete.
The hallmark of his riding style is “perfect synchronization with the wave.” While other riders force their boards with the power of the kite, Keahi takes the approach of erasing the kite’s presence to pursue pure surfing. In this ability, no one stands to his right. He keeps the kite extremely low during bottom turns and sheets out to slacken the line, relying solely on the wave’s power to snap the board’s fins in a beautiful, authentic surf style.
Sponsors & Affiliations
For many years, he served as the main team rider and the “face” of Cabrinha, a legendary pioneer brand in kiteboarding. However, he recently made a surprise move to the F-ONE family, joining his beloved partner Moona Whyte and bringing a fresh breeze and great surprise to the scene.
Personality & Relationships
He is the long-time partner of GKA Wave Queen Moona Whyte, and they travel the world together as buddies chasing waves.
His blood relationship with kiteboarding legend Pete Cabrinha is also well known. For years, GKA commentators rumored him to be Pete’s nephew. However, Keahi clarified the truth on a podcast, explaining that on his mother’s side, Pete is actually his third cousin.
Quotes & Anecdotes
Driven by his passion as a free surfer chasing the best barrels around the world, he loves a free-spirited life untethered by contest schedules. To him, the ocean is home, and numerous anecdotes capture his wave-chasing lifestyle.
The 2016 Kingmaker
During the inaugural GKA Tour event in Dakhla, Morocco, in 2016, the world title race was down to Airton Cozzolino and Matchu Lopes. Keahi defeated Matchu in the semi-finals, ending Matchu’s chances of securing the title outright. In the final, Keahi showcased overwhelming riding to crush Airton, who needed the win to become world champion. Although Keahi was stressed about not wanting to interfere with anyone’s title, his sheer talent prevailed. The dramatic outcome resulted in Matchu Lopes being crowned the first-ever World Champion by a mere 80-point margin over Airton.
The Direct Flight from a Perfect Fiji Barrel
At the 2018 GKA event in Prea, Brazil, Keahi failed to show up on the registration day. Until the very last moment, he had been chasing massive barrels at a fierce reef break in Fiji, on the other side of the planet. After a long flight, he went straight to the competition beach jet-lagged and entered the event. This legendary act proved that his true passion lies in chasing waves all over the world. The live commentator during the event described his arrival as follows:
“He’s coming up in the next heat. Fresh in from Fiji, he’s been chasing barrels over there. He didn’t quite make registration yesterday, but he gave us long enough notice to know. He was coming from Fiji. Yeah, chasing waves around the world is his passion.”
Competition Results
He won the Kitesurfing World Championship (Wave discipline) for four consecutive years in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. He has also won multiple GKA Tour events, including the contest in Dakhla, Morocco.
Search Aliases: Keahi de Aboitiz, KeahideAboitiz