This week’s Campus Celebrity is senior, Taylor Nelson. When she’s not at school finishing up her degree in business management, you might see her surfing on the island’s best breaks because she’s also a professional surfer!
How old were you when you started surfing and what made you gain interest?
I fell in love with surfing when I was five years old. I was born in Thousand Oaks, CA; a small town in Ventura County, only 12 miles northwest of Malibu. I fell in love with California at a young age; my fondest childhood memories consisted of sailing to the Channel Islands with my dad and sister. On these sailing voyages, the sea captured my heart. These trips helped introduce my passion for the ocean and encouraged my family’s surfing lifestly; so, because of the environment I was raised in, surfing became an instinctual love.
Where is your favorite place to surf and what are the ideal conditions?
My home break of first point Malibu is my favorite place to surf. The best conditions are glassy, perfect right point break, and in the head high range.
Do you have a dream location somewhere in the world that you’d love to go to surf?
There are so many spots that I would like to travel to and surf: Sri Lanka, New Zealand, the Basque Country, and France! I’ve also already been to Australia quite a bit, but it’s a dream to really dig into the country and travel up and down the coast.
Tell us your craziest wipeout story!
I broke my nose on a 2 foot day! It’s not even a crazy wipeout, but it’s the worst injury I’ve had in my surfing career and definitely the most embarrassing!
What advice do you have for any young surfers who want to really take their skills to the next level?
I would advise people to always seek out a mentor and to keep in mind that practice makes progress. I would not be where I am today without the help of my surf coach and mentor Carla Rowland. I really encourage people to not be afraid to ask for help and to get direction because surfing is a very dangerous and competitive sport, so it’s always good to stay humble!
Thanks Taylor for being an HCHI Campus Celebrity!
Also, be sure to check out her instagram account where all these awesome pictures came from: @tayrosenels