Daize on Competition

Oct 13 2006 / Los Angeles, CA An accidental World Champion Longboarder, she embraced her role and still continues to encourage women's competition

As a teenager, Daize became one of the original faces of Roxy. The free spirited vibe she gave off somewhat overshadowed her surfing prowess. It wasn’t until years later when the Hawaiiian native accompanied then-boyfriend Joel Tudor to the 7th annual Toes on the Nose Rabbit Kekai Longboard Classic in Costa Rica in 1999 that she earned her street cred. The oft-told story goes like this: Daize and Joel go to Costa Rica so he can compete in the contest. The event is being held in conjunction with the inaugural Women’s World Longboard Championship. At the last minute, he hands her a longboard and encourages her to surf in the women’s event. She wins the contest and becomes the first women’s champ since the 60’s. More impressive yet, she does it again in 2004.

Women’s longboarding has more prestige than it has in decades. The Assocation of Surfing Professionals (ASP) held the first ever ASP Roxy Women’s World Longboard Championship in Biarritz this summer, with a $30,000 purse. In September, they held the first North American sanctioned ASP women’s longboarding event, the Roxy Jam Cardiff, which had a $15,000 purse.
 
Daize recognizes the advancement of women’s longboarding: “I think it's a lot like women's surfing. It's just starting to come into it's own,” she said. “I believe that soon it will get the recognition it deserves. The elegance of a woman dancing on a longboard won't be suppressed much longer.” On top of that, she has a sassy opinion on why women’s longboarding is lagging behind the men’s: “For one thing they have a bigger stick, but nothing beats a girl riding the tip.”
 
Daize’s tip-riding can be seen in the occasional competition, such as the Roxy Jam Cardiff, but her motivation is different: “My surfing goals have changed from tactical competition, to more of an inspiration to others-an enjoyment of why I got into surfing to begin with and a strategic vantage point. Right now I feel it is important to use the major media platform I have been given to inform people about ecology-contrary to what has been written about me in the past. If I get to play even a small role in empowering youth to go after their dreams with the accomplishments I have been blessed with, that would be way cool. I have also been working on something with my manager that could prove to be awesome. His father sits on the board of the U.S. Olympics and we are doing what we can, as I know others are as well, to get surfing recognized as an official Olympic sport. It's WAAAY over due!”

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