KNOST WITH THE MOST

Bryce Alderton

Short or long, Alex Knost rides all types of surfboards, all on a

professional level.

He turned pro when he was 15. Now the 17-year-old senior at

Newport Harbor High is on the cutting edge of a surfer’s and artist’s

paradise.

The Newport Beach resident has won three times in just two years

on the pro circuit, traveling and competing in places such as France,

Cabo San Lucas, Australia and Japan.

Quite a feat for a guy who just six years ago suffered a

debilitating injury to his right foot that took one and a half years

for him to walk again.

A fountain tipped over outside a Chili’s restaurant where Knost

was waiting and fell on his foot. The blow killed all the tissue

cells in his foot and broke his heel bone, relegating him to a

wheelchair for a year. Two surgeries were needed to repair the

damage.

Knost began surfing when he was 8 and couldn’t wait to get back in

the water among friends following the setback.

“The determination to hang out with my friends really pushed me

back into [surfing] after the injury,” Knost said. “[Surfing] is

always something I’ve always loved to do. Being able to make a career

out of it is that much better.”

Knost learned a lot about surfing from his father, Jim.

“Just being around the beach and seeing him surf gave me the idea

it could be fun,” Alex said.

What began as recreation quickly turned to competition for Knost,

who maintains an active schedule, either competing in the water or

designing logos for T-shirts, sweatshirts and surfboards for Modern

Amusement, a clothing retailer in Costa Mesa. Knost also sketches and

paints, and his work will be on display in late June at Modern

Amusement stores in Costa Mesa and Fashion Island.

He also designs surfboards, choosing everything from the color to

the weight and dimensions. His signature model came out two months

ago and has been selling at Huntington Surf and Sport in Huntington

Beach and Surfside Sports in Newport Beach. Knost estimates more than

100 boards have been made.

“It is like a musician, they know much about their instrument and

what they can do to make it better,” Knost said. “As you develop a

personal style, you make surfboards you like. It is kind of like your

own model and what you like to ride. [Robert August] enlightens me

with stuff he has learned over time. It is constant tinkering.”

Modern Amusement owner Jeff Yokuyama has known Knost for two

years. They often go surfing together, usually at West Newport.

“He is one of the most natural guys in the water,” Yokuyama said.

“He does it all.”

Knost usually surfs at 54th Street in Newport or will venture to

Huntington Beach and San Onofre. Five days a week at 6 a.m. he is in

the water and as soon as school lets out, he returns for a few more

waves.

He finished second at the San Onofre Classic on May 3-4, when

Knost beat 1998 world champion Joel Tudor in the semifinals of the

pro division. Tudor beat Knost in the final, but that hardly

detracted from the experience.

“That was my biggest achievement in competitive surfing so far,”

Knost said.

Last weekend Knost competed in the 18-and-under junior division at

Volcom’s VQS Championships at 54th Street in Newport Beach, a contest

that featured 150 surfers from California, Puerto Rico, France,

Australia, South Africa and Japan.

Knost uses a 9-foot-2 long board in the “1960s style,” modeled

after August, the famed surfer from the classic 1964 movie, “The Endless Summer.”

In addition to Huntington Beach-based August, Japan Wetsuits,

Surfside Sports and Nixon Watches out of San Diego, all sponsor

Knost.

Part of his surfing includes riding the waves for magazine and

movie photo shoots. He spent a month in Sri Lanka posing for a movie

feature in September and plans to travel to Costa Rica in July for

more pictures. Longboard Magazine has even featured Knost in a few

issues.

With a litany of travel plans, Knost manages to keep on top of his

studies, earning a 4.0 grade-point average this year.

He plans on painting at Modern Amusement and let surfing take him

as far as possible.

He has never competed in the U.S. Open of Surfing, held each

summer in Huntington Beach, but will get in the water for this year’s

event.

“I’ve never done it before since I’ve always been out of town, so

I’m really looking forward to doing it,” Knost said.

One more contest in another new place for Knost, who is getting to

see and experience much of the world.