On June 24, Surfing America, the governing body of amateur surfing in the U.S., announced that Ian “Kanga†Cairns has been appointed coach of the USA Surf Team. Cairns, 57, is an Australian who has lived in California since 1979. A former pro surfer, Cairns made his reputation in the big waves of Hawaii, from 1973 to ’83. This era of rivalry between the Australians and Hawaiians was the subject of the 2008 film “Busting Down the Door.â€
After finishing second on the first IPS (International Professional Surfing) ratings in 1976 Cairns moved to California, where he became coach of the National Scholastic Surfing Association. The NSSA, which concluded their annual championships in California on June 27, remains one of three amateur associations that provide the younger members of the US team…Â Details