Feature

Grete Eliassen first began hitting jumps at age four, and now at 23 she holds the women’s world record for biggest air, at 31 feet (off of a 30 foot jump) that she claimed at the Canyons Resort in Utah last Spring. “I still have the photo in my house of my first Spread Eagle jump. You start on the small the jumps and work your way up,” she explains humbly.

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What do you look forward to the most about Halloween? Skating in costumes of course! And who knows how to shred in a dress better than Silly Girl?

What was it like skating against the boys in competition?
At first it was very intimidating but after a few competitions I earned respect from them once they saw I could skate and was beating half of the boys.

Where the boys receptive to you being a girl or did they push you away?
They ignored me at first because they were not used to competing against a girl, but they eventually warmed up to me.

How did competing against the boys affect your skill level?
It made me really push myself to improve so I could keep up with them.

Everyone has to start somewhere, how did you start surfing?

I started surfing in Waikiki with my dad when I was four years old.

Do you remember your first time standing up?

I don't remember the first time I stood up, I would tandem with my dad when I was one. I don't remember that time of my life too well!

What was your first surfboard?

I'm not sure, I have a picture in my room of when I was four. I was riding a yellow soft top longboard.

Rebecca Woods is one of Australia's most stylish and consistent professional surfers. Emerging from the Central Coast of New South Whales, she is now a dangerous and valuable competitor on the ASP Women’s World Tour. Rebecca is also one of a handful of professional female-surfers pursuing both her sporting career and university education.

I caught up with Rebecca and spoke with her on the importance of education as a professional female-athlete, as well as how she keeps her focus and a healthy balance to succeed both in the water and at the desk.

After two years of competing on the WQS, Lee Ann qualified for the WCT at 20 years old, the youngest European surfer ever to qualify.

Lee Ann holds it down for France during her rookie year, as the only French surfer on tour. She is currently ranked #14 in the world, but has to take it easy after tearing her meniscus before the Movistar Peru Classic.

We hope to see her fit and firing for the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach this August.

Where do you spend your time between events on the ASP World Tour?

Santa Barbara-based lifestyle apparel company, Horny Toad, sponsored Jenny Kalmbach and Morgan Hoesterey in a journey titled Destination 3 Degrees. The journey consisted of a stand-up paddle adventure across Hawaii’s nine legendary open-ocean channels. This April, the team of two elite female paddle boarders put their skills to the test and ventured over 300 miles to raise awareness for the protection of marine life, with proceeds benefiting the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. DYLA Magazine is proud to report on their amazing feat.

You started surfing at age 13, and this past year we saw semi-finals and finals on the ASP tour with the surfers all age 21 and under. What are some of the advantages and challenges of being one of the “older” surfers on tour?

Yeah all the new girls are amazing surfers and they’re pushing all of us so much to become better surfers. I think that the disadvantages of being an older surfer on tour is that you probably don’t have the same amount of energy as the younger ones, but the advantage is that you have way more experience and you surf smarter heats sometimes.

Rumor and photo evidence have it, that you towed massive waves on Maui?

I have wanted to tow that wave for a couple of years now. I had even flown to Maui a few times chasing swells, and it was either not big enough or the wind was nasty, howling and onshore. So, I was really happy when I finally got it good

You’ve never been one to shy away from big/huge slash, mutinous waves. How did this experience rate in comparison?

Marii, you just had a recent win in Japan, congratulations! Tell us about your win. まりい、最近の日本での優勝おめでとう！その優勝について教えて。