Canoe Alley
Outrigger member Ayako Ancheta returned to competition at the 2025 Hawai‘i Pipeline Bodyboarding Championship, placing seventh in the women’s pro division at Banzai Pipeline Returning to Pipeline
on O‘ahu’s North Shore. By Rachel Wagenman
➳ Born and raised in the small surf town of Kamakura, Japan, Ancheta spent years competing on the global bodyboarding tour from 2000 to 2005, traveling to eight countries a year. Pipeline quickly became one of her favorite stops, drawing her back annually for competitions—until she fell in love with the wave and made Hawai‘i her home 20 years ago. “It was the first time in two years I got to unite with bodyboarders from around the world,” Ancheta said. “We were all there for the passion of the sport.” After stepping away from competition following her last event in 2023, Ancheta focused on free bodyboarding and paddling with Outrigger’s Open Women’s crew. But when she
received an invitation to compete at Pipeline again, she dedicated herself to training for the winter season. “I started training back in November. I practiced a lot, and it was a really good winter—lots of big waves,” she said. “Pipeline is real. You can't just show up a day before and surf it. You have to know it's very dangerous, and if you don't know how to ride it, you're not going to be able to score.” For Ancheta, returning to competition wasn’t about chasing rankings—it was a personal challenge. “I’m doing it for fun and, you know, just my own goal setting,” she said. “I enjoyed competing again, and I look forward to working on some techniques for next year’s Pipe contest.”
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