Team News

NSSA champ Granger Larsen joins Billabong’s surf team

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 1 July, 2008 : - - Top NSSA Champ Granger Larsen has joined Billabong’s surf team. One of the dynamic young competitors coming out of the USA, his first major assignment will be surfing in the Trials of the Billabong Pro at Jeffrey’s Bay shooting for a spot in the main event. He will also be preparing for the Junior World Championships next fall, hoping to win it (and short-circuit some of the long, hard grind on the WQS).

“Billabong sees Granger as a future star and an ideal compliment to our current world class team,” says Enich Harris Marketing Director of Billabong USA. “For his age group he is at the top of his game.”

Those may be strong claims, but watching Granger surf in the NSSA Nationals at Trestles last week proved the point. Larsen won every heat he surfed in save one, taking the 2008 titles in both the Explorer Junior’s and Explorer Men’s categories and placing 2nd in the Open Men’s (where he lost his only heat in the final.)

Surfing since he was four, Granger already made a name for himself by winning a Junior Pro Championship by the time he was 15. Since winning the first competition he entered at 8 years old, Larsen has won the 2006 NSSA National Explorer Junior Championship as well as his current division titles.
 
“Coming straight out of the amateur ranks, I feel really lucky to get a spot on the Billabong team” says Granger. Plus, just being on a team with guys like Andy Irons, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Shane Dorian and Mark Occhilupo really makes me happy.”

A Honolua Bay regular, Granger lives with his family in Kapalua, Maui, where he just finished High School. Although he loves to surf at Trestles (his choice spot in California) and has taken a recent trip to the Mentawai’s, his favorite break is still the fabled Honolua Bay, right at the bottom of the hill from his home.

In addition to competing in select events on the ASP WQS Series around the world, Larsen will also be starring in Billabong’s next film feature “Loose” which will debut next spring. “His ability level matched with Billabong’s support system is a recipe for success” says Enich Harris. “We see him with a, very bright future in competitive surfing.”

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Jim Kempton

Team - Surfersvillage