Kai Lenny Cracks Helmet, Hospitalized During Pipeline SUP Surfing Wipeout (Video)
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The 2024 Da Hui Backdoor Shootout in Memory of the Duke kicked off on Thursday with a building swell at Pipeline and heats in the water all day long.
With the swell steadily rising through the day, the event kicked off with the Longboard, SUP, and bodysurfing divisions. And during Heat 2 of SUP, Maui waterman Kai Lenny took off on one of the bigger sets of the morning Pipeline and got clamped.
Next thing viewers saw on the live broadcast? Lenny on the sand, others onshore taking a peek at his head, a cracked helmet in his hand. What happened?
As of yet, it’s unclear what exactly went down. Check it out at the two-hour mark above. By the looks of it, Lenny likely either hit his head on the reef, or his board whacked him. Either way, good thing he was wearing that helmet.
Lenny was supposed to compete alongside Jamie O’Brien, Carissa Moore, and others on the A New Earth Project team, however, apparently there was a regulatory confusion.
“Looks like Kai is on the beach,” said announcers after his wipeout. “Hopefully he’s okay. Here we go, this is a replay of what we saw during the commercial break. Kai way up forward, slips off his board trying to get that forward momentum. He comes down and he’s on the beach right now.”
The announcers continued:
“So this is what’s going on. If you’re in the shortboard main event, you’re only allowed to do one division. So, he [Kai] has been called in. He needs to make a quick decision.”
Looks like the decision was made for him, though…
Kai did not compete later that day in the shortboard division. And, per a post from A New Earth Project, Kai was in the hospital. They wrote:
“Still all smiles 🔨🤙
“@Kai_Lenny healing up after a head bash at Pipe today.”
Heal up, Kai; Day two of the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout is live today.
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