The Colapinto Brothers and the San Clemente Surf DNA That Raised Them
Photo from @griffin_cola.
In San Clemente, surf success doesn’t usually come out of nowhere. It’s built slowly — through early mornings, familiar lineups, and a community that takes the ocean seriously.
Griffin and Crosby Colapinto are a clear reflection of that.
They didn’t just grow up near the water. They grew up inside the everyday rhythm of San Clemente surfing, shaped by the same breaks, same people, and same expectations that have produced strong surfers here for decades.
A Family Rooted in the Water
The Colapinto story starts with family. Griffin and Crosby were raised around Colapinto Surf School, the local surf school their parents run in San Clemente.
Long before world tour jerseys or international travel, their days were spent watching beginners paddle out, helping stack boards, and learning the ocean in a way that goes far beyond competition.
That environment matters. Being surrounded by people learning to surf — wiping out, getting back up, figuring it out — creates a different relationship with the water. Surfing isn’t just about performance. It’s about patience, respect, and repetition. That foundation shows up in both brothers’ surfing today.
Griffin Colapinto: Consistency on the World Stage
Griffin worked his way onto the World Surf League Championship Tour in 2018 after progressing through the Qualifying Series, and he’s stayed there through consistency, not shortcuts. Over the past few seasons, he’s been a steady presence near the top of the rankings, known for powerful surfing, sharp decision-making, and an ability to adapt to whatever conditions are in front of him.
In 2023 and 2024, Griffin finished inside the top three overall on the Championship Tour, earning wins at major events including Portugal and Fiji. Those seasons firmly placed him in the world title conversation and made him one of the most reliable American surfers on tour.
In 2025, he once again reached the WSL Finals in Fiji — the single-day event where the world title is decided — and finished runner-up. It was another reminder that Griffin remains right there, season after season, capable of winning on the biggest stage.
What stands out to people back home, though, isn’t just the results. It’s the way Griffin approaches the sport. He’s been open about the mental side of competition and the importance of staying grounded.
Even as the stakes have grown, he still looks like someone who genuinely loves surfing, not just winning heats.
Crosby Colapinto: A Different Line, Same Roots
Crosby’s path has followed its own rhythm. He came up through the junior ranks and Challenger Series, quietly building momentum until qualifying for the Championship Tour in 2023. That moment marked the first time both Colapinto brothers were competing at surfing’s highest level at the same time.
Crosby’s rookie season in 2024 made an immediate impression. He reached the podium at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal and was named WSL Rookie of the Year, a meaningful achievement that confirmed he belonged on tour in his own right.
His surfing brings a different energy — looser, more expressive, more playful. That creativity carries over into the brothers’ Cola Bros videos, where competition takes a backseat to pure enjoyment of the ocean. Together, Griffin and Crosby have become one of the most recognizable sibling duos in modern surfing, each bringing a distinct style shaped by the same hometown.
Staying Connected to San Clemente
Despite the travel and global spotlight, San Clemente remains central to the Colapinto brothers’ lives. When they’re home, they’re not hidden away. They surf local breaks, spend time with family, and stay connected to the surf school that helped raise them.
There’s nothing performative about it. Their presence here feels natural — part of the everyday scene rather than something staged. That’s what resonates locally. They didn’t leave San Clemente behind; they carried it with them.
One Town, Two Journeys
Griffin and Crosby Colapinto represent two different expressions of the same place. One driven by relentless consistency at the highest level, the other shaped by creativity and flow — both grounded in the same stretch of coastline that continues to influence surfers paddling out today.
San Clemente has always punched above its weight in surfing. The Colapinto brothers are proof of what happens when family, community, and time in the water come together — not as a brand, but as a way of life.
And around here, that story still matters.
