Marine conservation scientist, ocean steward, and surfer Dr. Cliff Kapono joins the podcast after winning the inaugural WSL Impact Award. He talks about all the amazing projects he's involved with, from working with the MEGA Lab to elevate scientific literacy and Reef Footwear to 3D coral reef formations at famous surf breaks, creating the Surfer Biome Project, and researching how the ocean connects us all. He looks back at his roots in Hawaii, his reasons for getting into the sport at a young age, learning the balance between pursuing a doctorate and surfing career, working with Vissla, and finding the surfer/scientist identity. Cliff also shares his thoughts on the variety of boards he rides, the connective DNA of ocean bacteria, the relationship between speed, power, and flow, and the new Vissla Shaper Rankings.
Learn more about Cliff and Follow him here. Check out the MEGA Lab and follow here. Hear another interview about Cliff's work here. Stay up to date with the Vissla Shaper Rankings on worldsurfleague.com. Watch the Championship Tour opener at the Billabong Pro Pipeline live Jan 29-Feb 10. Join the conversation by following The Lineup podcast with Dave Prodan on Instagram and subscribing to our Youtube channel.