Meet Jacksonville’s Top Female Surfer

INTERVIEW BY JULZ ARNOLD January 5th, 2017
1. Briefly tell us about your experience as a lifelong female surfer in this community. Have you felt a lot of adversity, having literally grown up in a male dominated lineup?

I was that little blonde, blue-eyed 12-year old girl with pink zinc on my face and a hot pink surfboard … with an attitude! I would go to the pier every day to “prove” myself, and I think that’s when I fell in love with surfing and this community. People, like Mitch Kaufmann, really took me under their wing and helped me grow as a surfer. It has been so cool to see the female surfing community grow, and I love coming home and just watching all the up and coming rippers. Regarding adversity, I would say thanks to some of the earlier female surfers, especially Karina Petroni, female surfing seems pretty respected in our community. I think the fact that it is a male dominated line up is what has helped me be so successful locally, as well as internationally. The guys here rip and that makes me push myself so much harder each and every session!

2. What keeps you so focused on excellence in your life?

I realized at a pretty young age that you have to do things other people aren’t willing to do if you want to be at the top. Workout when you’re tired, surf when it’s small/cold, and constantly perfect your craft even when you don’t feel like it.

3. What do you wish someone would ask you in an interview?

Do you want an iced coffee before we get started?

4. What is most important to you?

God, family, surfing … and iced coffee from Bold Bean.

5. What’s something no one would guess about you?

I speak Spanish.

6. Do you have any advice for other surfers on how to maintain the balance of work and play?

Get your work done first. Surfing has become my job because I worked at it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get to have fun while I do it. I have been able to travel to some of the most beautiful places in the world and surf some of the best waves in the world for “work”. I have always lived by the motto: “Make your passion your paycheck”. If you do that, you will never regret working hard.

7. If you won $100k, what would you do with it?

I would invest 80% (my dad is going to read this — haha!), then I would give 10% to a local charity , and use the remaining 10% to travel all over the world.

INTERVIEW BY JULZ ARNOLD January 5th, 2017

EDIT BY ATLANTIC VIDEO PRODUCTIONS