Our latest surfing student

There’s no shortage of surfing talent on the Coast and this one has slipped under the radar.

THERE’S no lack of world champions on our Golden Coast and some slip under the radar like 20-year-old Bond University student Rachael Tilly.

The Californian longboarder became the youngest world champion longboard champion in 2015 and last week came within a whisker of winning again to finish runner-up at Taiwan.

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Fellow Californian Soleil Errico matched Tilly as a 17-year-old to win the 2018 WSL World Longboard Title.

Tilly has been enrolled as a sports management student at Bond Uni where she will continue to study in the new year after travelling home to California for Christmas.

“University and longboarding are my two main focuses. I hope to push these two passions forward into the future by taking my uni degree of sports management and using it to further the sport of longboarding,” she said.

OUR BEST ALLROUND SURFER?

Since her maiden world title three years ago, Tilly said women’s longboarding continues to evolve,

Rachael Tilly At the 2018 World Longboard Championship in Taiwan. Picture: WSL

“There’s been a massive shift in the women’s longboard tour and its competitors. The next generation of women’s longboarding has arrived and is surfing amazing,” she said.

“Looking into next year, the tour is taking a different approach with multiple stops and opportunities to perform.”

Renowned for her poise and grace on a longboard, Tilly has been on the world tour for six years and is not about to finish soon.

LAST WEEK’S SURF SCENE

“Finishing with a second place has only placed a greater fire under me to go for it again next year,” she said.

“This event was great because I took the approach of just enjoying the moment of surfing and appreciating the competition side of longboarding. I’m still only 20 and definitely have many more years left in me on the tour.”

Rachael Tilly at the 2018 World Longboard Championship. Picture: WSL

Tilly calls Australia and Bond University her home base for the next few years.

“I’m looking forward to continuing my studies and competing on the tour,” she said.

“Our first event will be taking place at Noosa, not too far up the road and to have my brother, Michael, living in Australia with me as my coach makes it even better. “

Tilly likes riding short boards too.

“I do love to switch it up every so often and jump on a shortboard,” she said.

“Honestly, whenever I jump on a shortboard, I have a great time but it only confirms my love and passion for longboarding even more. “

Joining the Burleigh Longboard Club has been a great move.

“The BLC has been so great to join since moving to the GC. I found an awesome community of longboarders with them straight away and love heading down to the beach and seeing friendly faces on a regular basis,” she said.

CHASING DOWN SLATER

“Definitely a club I love being in of and have been warmly welcomed.”

Tilly’s passion with longboarding is equal with her passion for ocean conservation.

“Living and surfing everyday on the Gold Coast has only continued to increase this passion,” she said.

“I’m so grateful for the area we live in and the activities the ocean allows us to partake in. I think it is really special how much the Gold Coast community embraces the ocean and its values.

“It’s important we continue to take care of our beaches and our oceans so we can continue to appreciate it for years to come.”