At 18, Coco Ho is the princess of a Hawaiian surf dynasty: She is the daughter of surf legend Mike Ho, and sister of accomplished surfer Mason Ho. Coco has been jockeying for a spot on the ASP Women’s World Tour, but last year, was widely criticized for blatantly disregarding surfer etiquette. She was reprimanded for “dropping in” on 37-year-old Layne Beachley. Ho was asked to take “a counseling session and orientation to the rules and the protocol of expected sportsmanlike behavior during ASP events.” When she’s not surfing, Ho remains pretty grounded: Asked what gets her going in the morning, she once said: “To eat breakfast, see my family and friends, surf new waves, dress cute, enjoy my surroundings, and chocolate!!!”
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Alana Blanchard is a 19-year-old surfer from Kauai who recently qualified for surfing’s most exclusive group—the ASP Women’s World Tour—in her second season as a pro. She is currently ranked 13th on the Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour. In 2007, she won first place in the Women’s Pipeline Championships in Hawaii, as well as the first place of the Rip Curl Girls Festival Jr. Pro in Spain. Shortly thereafter, Blanchard peeled off her wetsuit to reveal a teeny bikini—and was dubbed “The Hottest Surfer on Earth” by Transworld Surf Magazine, and included in the “Hot List” by Rolling Stone. Her goal? To win a world title one day. “I do surf in small bikinis, but they’re not that small,” she says. “That’s just what we wear in Hawaii.”
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Kauai native Malia Manuel became the youngest girl to win the U.S. Open of surfing last July at age 14. (Before that, she won second place in one of the most competitive divisions of amateur surfing, Open Women’s at the NSSA Nationals.) And how did the teen celebrate the win at the Open? “Our neighbors all came over and brought me a balloon and a bunch of cookies so we ate cookies and ate chocolate.”
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Sage Erickson is an 18-year-old pro surfer sponsored by O’Neill and Oakley. She grew up Oahu’s North Shore, and Ventura, California, and has been surfing since she was 10 years old. Erickson finished 1st in NSSA Southwest Open Women’s competition, and 1st in the Gold Coast Explorer Women’s competition. Erickson finished third in the Vans Pier Classic in 2007. Away from the sport, Erickson sounds like a typical teenager: "I try to stay up to date with trends and what celebs are wearing,” she told Seventeen last year. “Well, that I can afford, of course.”
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Steph Gilmore is the granny of young surf girls—at 21. She’s the reigning two-time champ at the ASP Women’s World Championship, and claimed the title at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast championship as a wildcard at 15. According to fellow surfer Paige Hareb, “Steph is the local favorite and world champ. She has everything going for her at the moment.”
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Sally Fitzgibbons is a 19-year-old who hails from the south coast of New South Wales in Australia. She became the youngest person to win the ASP World Junior Championships at age 14, and finished 1st in the ISA World Open Women’s Championship in 2008. She became the fastest man or woman to qualify for the ASP World Circuit Tour after qualifying in record time. “I don’t really get nervous and I don’t ever worry about who I’m up against,” she has said. “I know most of the other girls, we’re all friends. If you lose, it’s just part of the sport.”
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A 17-year-old surfer from North Narabbeen, Australia, Enever won the Billabong Pro Junior Coffs Harbour competition this year, and became the ISA Junior World Champion and the Triple Crown Rookie of the Year in 2008. And she has been surrounded by greatness all her life, as she grew up surfing with pros Nathan Hedge, Chris Davidson, Damien Hardman, and Simon Anderson. She’s already also used to beating boys her age. “Some of the best advice I have been given is when you are riding a wave you imagine you are listening to music, surfing to the beat, feeling the rhythm. It has helped me surf smoother and get into the flow.”
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In July, 16-year-old Courtney Conlogue from Santa Ana, California, defeated defending champ Malia Manuel to win the U.S. Open. She rode two 12-foot waves to the title. “The waves were amazing,” Conlogue told Vanity Fair. “When I went into the last year, I just put the whole kitchen sink into it.” Now, Conlogue is ready to become ASP World Champ: “It’s going to take a long time to get there, because it’s just a lot of work,” she has said. “Once I graduate, I’ll hit it hard.”
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