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Makua Rothman

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Makua Rothman at Bagram Airfield in 2019

Makuakai (Makua) Rothman (born June 17, 1984) is an American big wave rider, professional surfer[1] and musician. On February 28, 2015, he was crowned the 2015 Big Wave World Champion in the World Surf League's (WSL) first sanctioned Big Wave World Tour (BWWT).[2][3][4][5][6]

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that on January 16, 2021, Rothman rode what it called "the biggest wave ever ridden in Hawaii", estimated to be 100 feet tall, at Jaws on the island of Maui.[7]

Life and career

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Makuakai (Makua) Rothman is Jewish,[8] born to an American Portuguese father and a Hawaiian mother, on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. He attended Kahuku High School in Kahuku, Hawaii, playing soccer, football, baseball, karate, and water polo.[9][10][11]

An accomplished professional big wave surfer and aspiring musician, Rothman was crowned the 2015 Big Wave World Champion.[12] Rothman achieved a milestone in surfing at age 18 when he won the 2003 Billabong XXL Award for riding a 66-foot wave at Jaws on November 26, 2002 (the largest wave known to be surfed anywhere in the world that winter).[13]

Rothman credits his surfing ability in large part to his father, Eddie Rothman.[14] As a child, Rothman suffered from asthma, making surfing a personally difficult and dangerous pursuit. His father decided to involve him in various sports such as soccer, baseball, football, and water polo as strenuous workouts seemed to help relieve his asthma. Rothman later attributed his physical stamina and dedication to these pursuits.[15][16]

Before he was 10 years old, Rothman was surfing some of Hawaii's most notable and biggest waves, including Pipeline and Sunset Beach. When he was eight, he surfed 12-foot Waimea waves, an unusual feat for a young boy, one that helped prepare him for his later big-wave accomplishments. By the time he was 13, Rothman was known as a promising young surfer in the surfing community. Surrounded by accomplished older surfers such as Sunny Garcia, Myles Padaca, Johnny Boy Gomes, and Dane Kealoha, Rothman learned how to dive, surf, farm, and hunt. He credits these men as role models who instilled values of leadership and respect.

Music career

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Makua Rothman performing on a USO tour at Ramstein Air Base in 2019

Rothman had not considered music as a career until 2012, when his friend Rob Garcia told him that people should hear his music. On the verge of leaving for a trip to Indonesia, Rothman decided to cancel the trip to work on his music. A few months later, he released his first EP, Makanale Road.[17] Since then, he’s released a full-length album in 2013, Sound Wave,[17][18] and toured all over the US, headlining small shows and opening for artists such as Matisyahu, Sublime w/Rome, Common Kings, The Wailers, Steel Pulse, Slightly Stoopid, Rebelution, and Donavon Frankenreiter.[19] Sound Wave debuted as the #1 Billboard World Album on iTunes and peaked as the #1 Billboard Reggae Album on December 28, 2013.[20][21]

In 2017, Rothman guest performed on Goldfinger's album The Knife, playing ukeke on "Liftoff".[22] He has also partnered with Hawaiian youth organizations to create programs for local youth at-risk.[23]

Siblings

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Makua has two younger brothers, and a younger sister.[16]

Koa Rothman, the middle brother of the Rothman siblings and ten years younger than Makua, is also an accomplished big wave pro surfer who first surfed big waves (Hawaiian system) at age 17.[16][24] In 2014, at the age of 21, he won both the Best Tube Award from his ride at Teahupoo and the Billabong XXL Wipeout of the Year Award with his feat also at Teahupoo and on the same wave.[24][25][26][27]

Rothman and his siblings have a Hawaii-based bagel business.[28]

Current sponsors

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Contests and tours

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  • 2002 Billabong XXL Big Wave Challenge Award - Winner
  • 2006 Volcom Stone’s Blowfish Surf Series - 3rd Place
  • 2006 Xcel Pro - Sunset Beach, Hawaii - 4th Place
  • 2007 O'Neill World Cup - Sunset Beach, Hawaii - Winner
  • 2014 Billabong Pico Alto - Pico Alto, Punta Hermosa. Lima, Peru - Winner
  • 2014-5 World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave World Tour (BWWT) Champion
  • 2015 Quiksilver Ceremonial in pumping surf at Punta de Lobos, Chile - Winner

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Makua Rothman da hui hawaii interview". Surfermag.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  2. ^ "Makua Rothman crowned 2014/2015 Big Wave Tour champion". surfermag.com. March 2, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  3. ^ "2014 Big Wave Tour". worldsurfleague.com. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  4. ^ "Rothman's Breakout Year". worldsurfleague.com. February 20, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  5. ^ "Congratulations Rothman, Big Wave Tour Champ". worldsurfleague.com. February 28, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  6. ^ "MAKUA ROTHMAN CLAIMS WSL BIG WAVE WORLD TOUR TITLE". surfline.com. February 28, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  7. ^ Mindy Pennybacker, By; pm (January 23, 2021). "Hawaii surfer Makua Rothman masters an estimated 100-foot wave at Jaws off Maui". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  8. ^ Seth Rogovoy (March 18, 2019). "The Secret Jewish History Of Hawaii". The Forward.
  9. ^ Alee Thompson. "Kahuku Surf Club keeps reigning at sport of kings". Kahukuhigh.org.
  10. ^ Cory Estioko (March 8, 2004). "Sweet Leilani; A student body leader displays a winning attitude as she excels at academics and athletics". archives.starbulletin.com.
  11. ^ "Inside big wave world champion surfer Makua Rothman's life". Hawaii Magazine. November 23, 2015.
  12. ^ "Makua Rothman crowned 2014/2015 Big Wave Tour champion". Surfer Today. March 2, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  13. ^ "Makua Makes History". surfermag. April 18, 2003. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  14. ^ Silken, Lindsey. "Shmoozin' with Makua Kai Rothman A Jewish-Hawaiian Professional Surfer". InterfaithFamily. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  15. ^ Melekian, Brad (March 2004). "Surfer Interview: Makua Rothman". Surfer. Vol. 45, no. 3. Archived from the original on August 14, 2004. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  16. ^ a b c Flemister, Beau (February 17, 2015). "All We Are Is Space Dust". surfermag. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  17. ^ a b Jeffries, David. "Makua Rothman". iTunes. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  18. ^ "Makua Rothman". Mountain Apple Company Hawai'i. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  19. ^ "Makua". Free Surf Magazine. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  20. ^ "Makua Rothman Music". rvca. April 1, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  21. ^ "Reggae Albums - 2013 Archive". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  22. ^ "Credits for The Knife". allmusic. All Media Network. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  23. ^ "Makua Rothman | Island Empire Records / Mensch House Records". Island Empire / Mensch House Records. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  24. ^ a b "Koa Rothman recounts XXL Teahupoo Tube of the Year". Surfersvillage Global Surf News. May 14, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  25. ^ "Recap from the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards". World Surf League. Anaheim, California. May 2, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  26. ^ "A Few Barrels: The year that was for Koa Rothman". May 8, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  27. ^ "Greatest Wipeouts: Koa Rothman". surfline. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  28. ^ "Exclusive: Makua Rothman on His Biggest Jaws' Wave Ever". Surfline. January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
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