Isabella Nichols believes her failure to qualify for the World Tour a few years ago was a blessing in disguise as she prepares to tackle her rookie year

Isabella Nichols almost qualified for the women’s world tour four years ago but now a few years on, she believes the let-down was a blessing in disguise.

ISABELLA Nichols almost qualified for the women’s world tour four years ago but now a few years on, she believes the let-down was a blessing in disguise.

COAST SURFER’S LUCKY BREAK ON THE SEARCH

The 22-year-old Gold Coast resident, who has competed in the Qualifying Series for the last five years, was told she’d officially earnt her World Tour spot when she exited the water following Spain’s Galicia Classic Surf Pro in September.

Top surfing prospect Isabella Nichols: NIGEL HALLETT

While the news was a ‘dream come true’, the Sunshine Coast product believes she wouldn’t have been as prepared to tackle the world circuit if her rookie break arrived sooner.

“Looking back now, not qualifying then has helped,” she said.

“Throughout the last four years, I’ve learnt so much about competing and about myself but now, I really believe everything happens for a reason and this was my time.

“The last five years have been really worthwhile and all the blood sweat and tears.”

WHO WINS THE SURFING WORLD TITLE

Nichols was on hand yesterday at the Surfing Australia High Performance centre in Casuarina to launch a new partnership between sustainable infrastructure company Acciona and Surfing Australia.

The brand will be a support partner to Surfing Australia’s new women’s program this summer as well as becoming a major partner of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle.

Nichols, who is studying civil engineering at university, believes the partnership will aid female participation in the sport as well as help with her long held goal of one day building wave pools.

Acciona Ambassador and 2020 World Surf League (WSL) Women’s World Tour rookie Isabella Nichols with Bede Noonan, Managing Director of Acciona Geotech at the partnership launch. Photo credit: Surfing Australia / Nikon Australia

“It’s really cool partnering with Acciona too because you want to bring the whole aspect of sustainable energy and running those wave pools with sustainable energy so it’s a great partnership and hopefully I can learn a bit from them as well,” she said.

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Surfing Australia CEO Chris Mater added: “Acciona’s core values align perfectly with Surfing Australia’s and we couldn’t be happier about the new partnership that is set to create a better tomorrow through surfing.”