GET ON BOARD
The Gold Coast has another world surf champion in its midst. Rachael Tilly opens up about what brought her here.
IF you’ve surfed Burleigh you might have shared a wave with a world champion without realising it.
Californian longboarder Rachael Tilly, who at 17 became the youngest world champ in the history of professional surfing, has swapped the the US for sun, swell … and study … on the Gold Coast. “For the past few years I’ve spent a lot of time competing so I was familiar with the Gold Coast and through that got introduced to Bond University on one of my trips,” she said.
“It was the perfect opportunity to go to university, to live abroad – and there’s great surf.”
Tilly, now 20, is in the second semester of her first year studying for a degree in sports management, juggling books and the board as she prepares for the 2018 World Longboard Championships in Taiwan later this month.
Find out what’s next for the surfing young gun in tomorrow’s Gold Coast Eye.