Coast’s best allround surf talent?

TUGUN’S Shakira Westdorp is more than a three-times world stand up paddle board champion – she is an all-round waterwoman.

TUGUN’S Shakira Westdorp is more than a three-times world stand up paddle board champion – she is an all-round waterwoman.

Westdorp surfs short boards probably more than her SUPs.

“I love riding twinnies at the points and feeling the difference in that type of surfing,” said Westdorp, who is basking in the glory of claiming her third consecutive SUP title in Hainan, China.

SHAKIRA’S TITLE DELIGHT

Despite an early stumble in Round 2, the “Shak attack” battled back through five repechage rounds to qualify for the final.

The climb to the top all began back in 2006 thanks to Gold Coast lifeguard and legendary waterman Jamie Mitchell and James Watson.

Shakira Westdorp claims her third consecutive World SUP title at Hainan, China. Photo: Imenez/ISA

“They had been to Hawaii, had a go and raved about it,” Westdorp said.

“They made a 12-foot aircraft carrier that took two of us to lug it down the beach, and we would take turns and spend hours out there. It was fun at Currumbin Alley.”

LAST WEEK’S SURF SCENE

Originally from Manly in Sydney, her family moved to the Tweed Coast when Shak was only young to have a better life and for the beach which her parents loved. Her dad was an avid surfer.

Westdorp has travelled extensively to compete and free surf in some of the dreamiest locations such as the Maldives, Nias, Hawaii, Fiji, PNG, Peru, Canary Islands and Teahupo’o.

She is fearless.

Shakira Westdorp On the winning podium in Hainan China. Photo: ISA

She has ridden 15 to 18 foot waves at Hawaii’s Waimea Bay and a 15-foot day at Fiji’s Cloudbreak.

“It can be a bit nerve racking at times but it’s so exhilarating dropping into a bomb and flying down the face of a mountain,” she said.

“The 20 foot-plus stuff though is next level

… I’ll leave that to the experts.”

Westdorp, 33, survived a scary wipe-out at Teahupo’o this year.

7YO TAKES ON THE BIG BOYS

“My bikini got ripped off and I got washed into the ­lagoon,” she said.

But her worst wipe-out was at Waimea Bay where she nosedived on a takeoff.

“I got pushed super deep and just came up before the next wave hit,” she said.

“When I dived under again, I came up seeing stars and my body copped a flogging.”

Her worst sporting injury, though, was on land – breaking a leg on her skateboard.

Westdorp has always been highly motivated from her early nipper days.

A sticker on her board says “second place is the first loser!”

And her final words of advice: “Get out there and give it a go, be respectful to others and have fun.”

Cheers Shak, well done.