Everybody knows Alana Blanchard, she has over 1.6 million followers on Instagram and 2.1 million followers on Facebook. She’s probably more famous than John John Florence or Dane Reynolds, and maybe even Kelly Slater. Wait scratch that, nobody is more famous than KS. I mean come on he even has his own wave and does breathing exercises with the Ice Man, Wim Hoff (where he passes out by the way, funny as hell). We’re getting sidetracked. Where I was getting at was that we get to see a lot of Alana, even quite sexy stuff, but what we sometimes seem to forget is that she’s a really good surfer. And that’s kind of what we’re all about, so let’s go surfing with Alana Blanchard.
Surfing with Alana Blanchard
Alana has been on and off the World Tour a couple of times but has always been able to back it up with a modelling career. Because of here modelling though, not everybody knew she could actually surf. Perhaps also because she hates competing. It wasn’t until she started a ‘just-have-fun-approach’ that she showed her surfing qualities. Alana recognizes that a part of women surfing is about being sexy and she likes that.
Professional surfer girls are more proud of their sxuality now, they all rip, they’ve got their own style. The group is still small but each individual is so powerful in their own way. I Love being part of that.
When Alana was still competing. ©Ryan Miller /redbull.com/surfing
Screen shot: Good Eye Might by Dylan Roberts
Thoughts
It is obvious that surfing with Alana is also surfing with a hot surf babe. She doesn’t mind it, it’s the way she makes a living and she loves what she does. Sometimes however, I do wonder if it’s a good thing that women surfing so often is linked with being sexy? I mean for Alana it works, but I can imagine that for some other surfers it doesn’t. I think the most important difference is that Alana chooses to be viewed this way and others don’t. For those who don’t, we should appreciate them for their surfing and for being the professional athletes that they are, rather than objectifying them.