Ladies we Love: Leila Hurst

July 24th, 2013 • BY Erinn Morgan

Just 19 years old, Leila Anuhea Hurst knows a thing or two about surf royalty. Especially since many of the greats—from Andy and Bruce Irons to Evan Valiere—were the ones she watched and learned from in the waters near her home.

This surfing phenom started riding the waves near her hometown in Kauai, Hawaii, at the age of three and by six she was rippin’ on the waves of Hanalei Bay.

Leila went on to become a member of the Hawaii World Junior team and she won multiple NSSA National titles as a teenager. Leila was named the Vans Triple Crown of surfing “Rookie of the Year” in 2010. After many strong performances in 2012, she became the ASP World Junior Champion in 2012.

But this year, competition took a back seat to finishing up high school, globetrotting wanderlust, and Life Rolls On, a unique foundation (a subsidiary of the Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation) that helped her  sister Sophia (see video below), who has a spinal cord defect, surf for the very first time. Here, we check in with Leila Hurst on life, love, and the future.

WomensMovement.com: What do you love the most about surfing?  

Leila Hurst: I love the ocean. The ocean is my everything.

WM: Growing up on Kauai, who was your biggest surfing mentor or inspiration?

Leila: I would say my biggest inspiration and mentor is my dad [Rick Hurst]. He has been there with me every step of the way through my surfing career and taught me to be a good person. He’s a great man. 

WM: What are your future surfing plans? Will you continue to compete, travel, or do something else in the sport?

Leila: Honestly, I am yet to know what I will do with my surfing career. I am experiencing a lot of amazing opportunities surfing with the Life Rolls On foundation. It has been a huge eye opener being a part of their program. I love to travel—and I love to win—so we will see where that takes me! 

WM: What’s the most amazing surf spot you’ve traveled to?

Leila: I personally love Mexico. I love the ocean because it’s so warm and I love the weather because it’s shorts-and-a-tank weather. The waves there are incredible!

WM: What inspires you about your sister?

Leila: My sister is a strong person. It takes a lot to be a strong person. I am 19 and life is crazy, so seeing her be independent and doing amazing things inspires me to be strong. 

WM: How has she changed your life?

Leila: I’ve discovered a huge love and interest for taking people who have (or were born with) spinal cord injuries surfing. It’s an unforgettable feeling to see them experience something they never have before.

 

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