Without doubt the portliest surfer the world tour has seen in recent years, Kekoa qualified for the ‘CT in 2008 despite forgoing the healthy lifestyle these days considered essential to competitive success; the affable Hawaiian revealed in an interview with Surfing that his nutritional regime involved “drinking five beers the night before my heat”. In the first Power Rankings instalment of the following year, Lewis Samuels described his physique as “reminiscent of Chunk in The Goonies”, but added that “if Bam can avoid succumbing to homesickness, Baby Ruth’s, and the temptation to drink six beers the night before his heat instead of five… he’s poised to do some serious damage on tour”.

And some serious damage he did, both to the lip, his fellow competitors and the ASP buffet, finishing his rookie season in a highly respectable 17th place, tied with Kai Otton and ahead of Josh Kerr, Ace Buchan and Jeremy Flores. He fell off tour in 2010, however, and dropped by his major sponsor was forced to take a part-time job as a valet in Waikiki — a job he lost when he “crashed a fricken’ sick Lexus and got fired!” He jokingly described the experience of self-funding his requalification campaign in the following terms:

“It’s pretty stressful when you’re paddling out for a heat and you’re thinking that you have to make it because it determines if you’re eating a steak or a double cheeseburger at McDonald’s.”

He never did requalify, but he did at least get resigned by Rip Curl, and these days is entrusted with coaching their grom team.