Kalani Vierra and Krystl Apeles are in a universe of their own when it comes to standing atop a surfboard. Their 2015 World Tandem Championship is a testament to that.
Vierra works for Hawaii’s Fire Department and Ocean Safety Bureau, while Apeles grew up with gymnastics. And while one might assume tandem surfing is reserved for hot dogging in “playful” small surf, the two actually surf and train in all types of conditions. In fact, when the duo won their SeaHawaii Tandem Surfing World Champions title last December they did so through a building swell at Makaha. Think about that. While most of us have a hard enough time catching our own wave solo, these two are enjoying the ride together, throwing in a whole new mix of challenges and skills to make it look graceful.
So take a close up look at what it takes to become a tandem surfing world champ, and appreciate that for some it’s not all about getting a wave to yourself.
