NAIDOC Week: Torquay surfers Charlie and Delilah Chisholm’s plan to make it big on world tour

Charlie and Delilah Chisholm come from four generations of surfers, with the Torquay brother and sister sharing a deep love for the sport and ocean as they strive to compete on the world stage one day.

Torquay brother and sister Charlie and Delilah Chisholm love surfing, competing and representing their Indigenous heritage. Picture: supplied

Torquay surfers Charlie and Delilah Chisholm dream of making it onto the World Surf League tour together one day.

From entering their first competitions with Torquay Boardriders Club as little groms, Charlie, 15, and Delilah, 12, continue to shred waves on the daily while competing both in Victoria and interstate.

Inspired by their idols Andy Irons, Jordie Smith, Steph Gilmore and Brisa Hennessy, the siblings have taken their talents to the Australian Junior Surfing titles in recent years, while Charlie’s most recent accolade saw him take out the junior boys final at the Australian Indigenous titles last month.

Torquay surfer Charlie Chisholm catches a wave. Picture: Surfing Victoria

Posting a 14.47, he lay down a stunning 9.00 ride to open the heat, with the event one of the teen’s favourite events on the calendar.

“I feel connected to the ocean through the culture and the people,” Charlie said.

“The Indigenous titles is the best event because it’s more about connecting with everyone from around Australia … not just about the wins.”

It followed his U16 boys win at the Victorian Koori Surfing Titles in February, an event Delilah snared a double win at in the U16 girls and open women’s divisions.

Torquay’s Delilah Chisholm during a surfing competition. Picture: Surfing Victoria

The latter led to a wildcard spot in this year’s Bells Beach Ripcurl Pro trials for Delilah – all before she’d even hit her teens.

“I had no idea that was going to happen,” Delilah said.

The sibling rivalry also beats strong – Delilah pointing to the time she beat her brother in competition as a particularly proud moment.

Though driven by a shared goal to compete and surf around the world, at the core of their pursuits remains a deep love for the sport.

It’s why Charlie tries not to put too much pressure on himself when approaching junior competitions.

“I just want to enjoy it and not take it to seriously,” Charlie said.

“I never want to lose the love for (surfing).

“I just love surfing good waves with my family and mates, and going to different places around Australia.”

Charlie said he loved the opportunity to surf all around Australia. Picture: Surfing Victoria

He said he was learning to approach his heats in a more relaxed fashion.

“(If I) look at it as if I’m just free surfing, I end up doing my best surfing,” Charlie said.

For Delilah, it’s a similar mindset.

“I just go out and have fun and don’t overthink it too much,” she said.

“I’m just happy to get waves in a heat – I look at surf competitions now as practice for the future on a WSL stage.”

Born into a surfing family, Charlie’s first memory of the sport was sitting on the front of his mum’s board aged 3 – with both parents, their grandparents and uncle all keen surfers.

“It’s gone on for generations, even my great grandfather surfed,” Charlie said.

Delilah has been surfing since she could walk. Picture: Surfing Victoria

Delilah said she started surfing as soon as she could walk.

“I never really thought about any other sport because surfing is just what we have always done as a family … we were always at the beach,” Delilah said.

“Being out in the ocean is the best.”

The sport stretches into the family’s vocation, dad Ian Chisholm shaping boards for their business Southcoast Surfboards Australia while mum Ange King works as a Surfing Victoria coach with the ‘Surf Her Way’ program.

Charlie and Delilah are proud of their Indigenous heritage, which comes from mum Ange, despite not knowing their mob due to the Stolen Generations.

“We know definitely our Indigenous heritage is from the Eora nation in the Sydney-NSW area, but unfortunately we still don’t know our mob,” Charlie said.

“We are still searching to hopefully get answers and Link-Up NSW are currently helping our family.”

Despite their ongoing search for answers, Delilah said they still felt very connected to their culture, especially through art.

“We still embrace everything and we love learning more and more about it all the time,” Delilah said.

Originally published as NAIDOC Week: Torquay surfers Charlie and Delilah Chisholm’s plan to make it big on world tour