Ladies Room
Hair, Championships & Life with
Demi Boelsterli By Nicole de Leon
not help but sit back and marvel at. Demi Boelsterli is her name, and if you’ve spent any time at the contest you’ve
I
seen her power her way to not one, not two, but seven wins at the Queen of the Coast. She and her good friend Lakey Peterson have given Santa Barbara a taste of the future of women’s surfing with their mind-blowing performances inside and outside of the competitive arena. Boelsterli is a part of Santa Barbara’s new generation of freakishly talented
surfers who are pushing each other to the limits of the sport. Tis free-spirited and accomplished regular-footer has traveled around the world to surf competi- tively and admits she is already “living the dream.” With the Rincon Classic and westerly swells right around the corner, I had a chance to chat with this creative, independent spirit, and here’s what she had to say:
DEEP: You are originally from Santa Barbara, which means you had to get creative to find waves during summer months. What has your secret been? Demi Boelsterli: When I was younger I spent a lot of time in the Huntington and Newport area because that’s where “everything was happening” and I felt I needed to “be a part of it.” So there I was, driving down to Huntington every weekend hitching rides with close friends to surf an NSSA or do a team workout. It was very motivating being around other surfers; I met a lot of kind people
doing it. But in the end being in Santa Barbara during the summers was great, too. Tere’s always somewhere to surf, you’ve just got to take a drive, and maybe do some walking.
DEEP: What makes you stand out among the rest? DB: I have a big blonde curly fro and I like to dance.
DEEP: You’ve been surfing since you were 12. Did you have a coach or just get inspired on your own? DB: I learned to surf when I was 8, but started going every day at about 12. My dad surfed a lot, so he helped me for the first year or so. I surfed with JP “performance” Garcia and Chris Keet for quite a few years after that. I was able to get random bits and pieces of coaching from friends and other people I met along the way.
DEEP: You seem to have Rincon wired, in fact you’ve won the Rincon Classic numerous times? What has your winning strategy been? DB: I don’t know if this is a strategy or choice, I just surf there all the time because it’s a really good wave. So I’ve learned where to sit and which waves will connect and what not. Also Lakey and I kinda grew up surfing together, so we paddle out with the attitude that we’re just going to have a good time and surf Rincon all to ourselves instead of being all competitive and edgy. For me surfing is easier and more enjoyable when you’re not surfing to be better than someone, just surfing to surf.
34 DEEP SURF MAGAZINE January/February 2012
Gouging a Rincon face. PHOTO:
DUBOCK.COM
DEEP: Have you ever been treated differently in any lineup for being a female? DB: I’m not sure. I guess I wouldn’t know, but one time at Lowers it was packed and I was wearing a short arm full and not catching waves. I went in to hang for a bit, eat food, water. Ten I paddled right back out in my bikini and got more waves.
DEEP: If you had to look back at your life and name your top accomplish- ments, what would they be? DB: I’ve caught a few set waves in the cove on a few good days, and the day I started using my Pentax again. Oh, and I have awesome friends.
DEEP: Are you still surfing competitively? Where have your competitive travels taken you? DB: I don’t really do any contests anymore. I’ll surf a local contest here and there. Doing contests has gotten me around the world. I was able to do con- tests all over California, Hawaii, France, Brazil, and Portugal. I met some great people, and saw some crazy things happen.
DEEP: Any interesting surf travel stories you can tell your grandchildren? DB: I was robbed by some jungle wanderers after a surf in Nicaragua. Tey pulled out a machete on us and chased my buddy and I down the beach on bikes. It was pretty heavy. Te rest of the stories I will keep to myself and a few close friends.
DEEP: You seem to rock your own style, but who have your greatest influences been in your life? DB: I’m going to make a list: Travers Adler, Trevor Gordon, Sean Tully, Will Adler, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cat Clark, Morgan Maassen, Kirra Boelsterli, Tommy Alexander, the Curren boys, Keoni Cuccia, Mitch Colborne, CJ Hob- good, Tom Curren, and many, many, more. . .
DEEP: Any sponsors or biggest supporters to give a shout out to? DB: Big thanks to all the boys at J7 Surfboards, the Surf Happens crew and thanks to BodyGlove for the new suit.
’VE NEVER been much of a competitive surfer, but the last few times I have competed in the Rincon Classic, among other amazing women surfers, there has been a spunky young lady with a blonde fro that I could
Keeping her hair dry. PHOTO: SETH DE ROULET
PHOTO:
DUBOCK.COM
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