On Friday, Hawaii-based waterman Kai Lenny won the inaugural Da Hui Backdoor Shootout stand-up paddleboard competition at the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. It鈥檚 one of the few trophies the 21-year-old hadn鈥檛 previously hoisted during his emergence as the sport鈥檚 dominant figure.
鈥淚t was a privilege to go out at Pipeline and Backdoor with just friends and uncles!鈥 Lenny, a Maui native, .
A four-time Stand-Up World Tour champion (2010-11, 2013-14), Lenny advanced through the semis and came from behind in the four-man final against early leader Keali鈥檌 Mamala.
Despite a low-scoring final with challenging conditions and few barrels, the contest was still considered a success for the sport, which had never been featured in a competitive setting at Pipeline. World Tour founder Tristan Boxford, , called it 鈥渁 testament to where the sport is today.鈥
See highlights from the contest: