Kanoa Igarashi Joins Forces With JS Industries Surfboards

Originally posted on SURFER | By Jake Howard | Last updated Mar 17, 2025 12:29 PM ET

By his lofty standards, the 2024 Championship Tour was a bit of a let down for Japan's Kanoa Igarashi. Finishing the year rated 17th, well outside of the top 10 where he typically resides, during the offseason Igarashi knew he had to make some changes.

One of the big changes he made was his surfboards. Parting ways with Sharpeye and signing with JS Industries out of Australia, the new boards have already made an impact for Igarashi. Coming off of a fifth-place finish in Abu Dhabi, and still rolling at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the new sleds have served him well this season as Igarashi looks to get back into the Final 5 and give himself a shot at the world title at season's end.

"The boards have been amazing, they feel so good. Working with Jason (Stevenson) so far has been great. He really takes care of his surfers," Igarashi shared while in Hawaii earlier this year.

With Igarashi, Marco Mignot and Jeremy Flores all riding for JS, Stevenson's care for his athletes was a common topic of conversation at the Quiksilver house on the North Shore this winter. His teamriders were all really grateful for the consistency of the boards they get, how dependable they are, and how generous Stevenson is with boards.

"When I tell Jason that I need a couple extra boards, he'll usually send a whole batch of boards to make sure I'm covered. He's just like, 'Here's a few more, try them out and let me know what you think,'" explained Mignot while unboxing a new quiver.

And while there's no question that JS makes amazing boards, sometimes it's that extra care and consideration that makes all the difference. When one's competing at the highest level of the sport, there isn't room to stress or worry about boards, consistency is critical, and Stevenson's largely shouldered that burden for his surfers. The results speak for themselves.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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