Kushner crushes it – Kai Kushner puts Manhattan Beach on the map with a 9.7 score in Barbados
Kai Kushner, 10, during the Jan. 14, 2017 SBBC contest, demonstrating the backside power that would earn him a 9.7 score last month in Barbados. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com) by Kevin Cody Photos by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com) “Manhattan Beach? Is that near El Porto?” the announcer for the World Surf League Qualifying Series 3000 in Bathsheba, Barbados, asked over the PA system. Kai Kushner, 15, of Manhattan Beach had just scored a near perfect 9.77 on a crumbling, head high wave that he hacked at, backside, sending spray 30 feet in the air, until the wave exhausted itself on the beach. Two of the judges scored the ride a perfect 10. The third judge gave it a 9.5. It was the highest score in the contest, held the last week in March at a Barbados break called Soup Bowl. The WSL website headlined its coverage of the contest, “Kai Kushner Obliterates the Bowl.” Kushner’s dad Warren heard the announcer ask where this kid came from. “Hearing Manhattan Beach mentioned over the PA was almost as cool as hearing my son’s name,” he said. Fortunately for Kai Kusher, the surf that day looked like any other blown out afternoon in El Porto, where he learned to surf. Warren…
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