Manly Surfer Kai Otton Loving Life on ASP World Tour
Kai has been on the ASP World Tour for 4 years now and just gets better every year.
Kai Otton was born and raised 500km south of Sydney in the ex-whaling town of Tathra. At the age of 12, Kai’s Dad decided it was time for Kai to give up the boogie-board and whip out the surf board. Kai and his dad spent all of there time surfing up and down the NSW South Coast. Kai got really good, really fast, developing a smooth style and explosive turns.
He surfed every day with his school friends and the hunger to become a professional grew inside him. In his little red Corolla he took off to live in Sydney, basing himself at Manly and surfing in North Steyne Boardriders with good mate Dayyan Neve. After four years on the WQS (Word Qualifying Series) the super-talented Otton still hadn't made the cut.
Australian Fashion & Surf Label Insight Provides Exposure
Kai's profile rose when he was picked up by Australian fashion and surf label Insight. Kai was then seen in surfing mags and on billboards all around the world.
When fellow Manly surfer and good mate Richie Lovett bought a place just over the headland at the swell-superior, Curl Curl, Kai moved in.
World Championship Tour
As Richie took time off tour with his battle with cancer, Kai took off to battle the hordes and finally bring home a WCT scalp for himself. He made the WCT (World Championship Tour) in wild style, taking out the event in the Canary Islands, making the semis at Newcastle and making the final cut with a barnstorming finish at Haleiwa (Hawaii), the scene where room-mate Richie made the CT ten years before him.
Top 10 - As a Rookie
His first year on tour took many who'd never surfed against him unawares. Classed as a bit of an under dog Kai rose to the occasion and spent most of the year in the Top 10.
Kai has been on the ASP World Tour for 4 years now and just gets better every year. Kai is now recognised to be a gnarly competitor on tour and a bit of a giant killer especially after taking out Kelley Slater in the quarter final of the Quiksilver pro at Snapper rocks this Year.