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| Anastasia Ashley gettin' vertical. Photo by Chris Grant, JettyGirl. |
I recenlty wrote an article on surfing superstar and model Anastasia Ashley for Pacific San Diego magazine. Below is the longer, unedited version of my story, along with some killer photos of Anastasia by the awesomely talented Chris Grant from JettyGirl online surf mag. http://www.jettygirl.com/. (I highly recommend clicking on each photo to see a larger version. Chris has some major photog skills!)
Enjoy!
At 25, Anastasia
Ashley has already graced the pages of numerous magazines for her surfing and
modeling prowess, has starred in her own
MTV documentary, and was even featured in Playboy
(in a bikini).
But the
SoCal surfer girl, whom Hugh Hefner once referred to as a “sea goddess,” is as
down-to-Earth as they get (when she’s not pulling airs of course). Don’t let
her good looks and sex appeal intimidate you – she’ll do that in the surf line-up. Anastasia – who won the professional
surf tour in the United States at age 16 and was the 2010 women’s Pipeline Pro
champion – has been a water baby since the age of 5. The Los Angeles-born beauty naturally picked
up surfing at an early age, spending time between the North Shore of Ohua in
Hawaii and Southern California.
Anastasia’s surfing talents have even landed her a major sponsorship
with Airwalk (she even has her own signature shoe). When asked about her life, the
role of women’s surfing, and being a “sex symbol” Anastasia talks candidly and
freely as if she was kickin’ it in a T-shirt, leggings and a pair of sneaks. Friend and professional surf photographer
Chris Grant describes Anastasia this way: “She walks to the beat of a different
drummer and doesn't abide by conventional surf industry rules. She has an
interesting rebel streak. She speaks her mind and doesn't shy from
controversy.”
Although Anastasia is a member of a growing cadre of strong
female surfers, she knows she will always be compared to the males in her
sport.
“In any sport the males typically get more sponsorships and
attention,” says Anastasia, who was also a competitive swimmer between the ages
of 5 and 12. “There aren’t as many women pro surfers, so there is less
competition but also less opportunity.”
Needless to say, however, Anastasia is keen on the power of
surf advertising and has used it to a certain extent to help catapult her
career.
“If you
look at advertising around the world, surfing is one of the most marketed
lifestyle images – the image of you in your swimsuit and on the beach and on
your board. The reason it is so marketable to brands is because it is a
desirable lifestyle,” she says. “The more companies and brands that support
female surfing the better. I have had great support from all of my sponsors.”
Photo: Chris Grant
Unlike many
surfers who have grown weary of crowded surf breaks, Anastasia welcomes newcomers
to the sport of kings and queens.
“I think the
more people learning how to surf, and sharing the sport with other people is a
good thing,” she says. “I think in a sense I wouldn’t have a job if people
didn’t want to learn how to surf.”
As for her
modeling career, Anastasia sees it as an extension of her surfing career.
“I
never pursued modeling; I mainly consider it as advertising for my sponsors,”
she says. “It’s a lot of fun and I love dressing up and having someone do my
hair and make-up.”
She is also quick witted when asked about her stance on
being labelled a “sexy” surfer. Like
many female ocean gems, Anastasia has experienced the stereotype of women in
the surf world. For her, however, it just comes with the job.
“Surfing is
my number one focus; I am a surfer first. No matter what people say, whether
it’s positive or negative, I don’t mind it,” she says. “There are a lot of beautiful female surfers.
But you can’t just be pretty and cut it. You have to be a good athlete as well.
Sometimes people forget that and focus more on appearances. For myself, I have
accomplished things that I can back myself up talent wise and I know my
ability.
“It’s funny
because the female surfing side gets a lot of brunt,” Anastasia continues. “People
say women get sponsorship because they are attractive. Overall, surfing is a very over-sexualized
sport and people forget it’s on the male side too. You also have attractive and
ripped male surfers modeling with their shirts off.”
Anastasia’s powerful surfing skills have taken her around
the globe and back, including France, Spain, Portugal, Indonesia, Equator, Japan,
Panama and Micronesia, to name a few. Going global has given her a broader
insight on how others live.
“Traveling to Third World countries gives me more of a
global perspective of things like poverty and struggles of other countries and
how lucky it makes you feel to live in America and the different rights we have,”
she says.
Photo: Chris Grant
While she
has enjoyed globetrotting and the limelight, Anastasia, who also goes by the
nickname Stasia, insists that her life is not all that “bling.”
“I’m really
boring,” she admits. “I have the same group of friends I have had for years
that keep me grounded. I do consider
myself pretty normal. If you are blessed
enough to do a professional sport or be in entertainment, you have to give up
some of your personal life and give people access to parts of your life. I
don’t have a problem with that because it’s an exchange for what I do.”
This is
what a “typical” day is like for Anastasia when she is at home in San Clemente,
Calif.:
“When I get
up I check the waves. If it’s good I will go surf and then I will come back and
check emails, maybe go on Facebook or Twitter, and catch up with sponsors. Then
I usually go work out at the gym and train, and then grab lunch or dinner with
a friend, then maybe try to surf again if it’s good. My days are pretty active
– they revolve around surfing and working out.”
Anastaisa’s
work out usually consists of spinning, weight training and sometimes beach
runs. She also occasionally does Pilates.
While she calls San Clemente home, Anastasia frequently surfs and
plays in San Diego.
“There are
so many things I love about San Diego – you can go to the beach and surf or go
for a long run, then go to dinner with friends, or you can go to a professional
football or baseball game. I like how
active everyone is in San Diego and I like the vibe. San Diego is more laid
back than L.A.”
Photo: Chris Grant
She likens
San Diego to her description of surfing: Relaxing.
“The thing I like about surfing is it’s an individual sport and you can
go whenever you want on your own and you are disconnected from everything. It’s
a really relaxing and calming thing for me.”
In between relaxing, catching airs, and photo shoots, Anastasia
is a staunch advocate and activist for animal rights and the environment. She
works with PETA, and in conjunction with Surfrider Foundation’s Oahu chapter,
she and Airwalk sponsor an annual beach clean-up at North Shore’s Sunset Beach
Park. Anastasia has also given her support to Young Faces of ALS, which brings
awareness to the progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells
in the brain and the spinal cord.
As a young professional female athlete, Anastasia also feels
that it is her duty to be a positive role model for young girls and women.
“There has been a positive influx of so many
great, aspirational female athletes who can be looked up to as role models,
which is very important to me,” she says. “I just like being out there and want
to continue what I’m doing and prove that you can be a female athlete and be
feminine and respected at the same time.
