Lindsay Steinriede has been a face in the women’s longboarding scene in Southern California for over 10 years- sponsored by Orange County local surf company Toes on the Nose. Her powerful style and elegance has lead her to many victories in countless longboard competitions. Her recent victory and the most beneficial to her longboard career came in July at the Roxy Pro in St. Biarrtiz, France- Where she took first place against San Diego, CA local and Roxy team rider Jen Smith. Lindsay is now leading the Women’s ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) in points and has a position at the Swatch Girls Pro in China! I had a chance to catch up with Lindsay, when she returned from France:
CB: When did you learn how to surf and how long have you been competing?
Lindsay: My dad taught me to surf when I was about 6 or 7 and i was hooked. I did my first Menehune (kids) contest at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point, CA when I was 12.
CB: Since being bit by the surfing bug, where have you traveled to surf?
Lindsay: I have been surfing in obviously Mexico, because it’s so close…but my first real surf trip was Costa Rica, and from there I was hooked. I then travelled to surf in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and of course just recently France.
CB: What fears do you have in surfing and how have you overcome them?
Lindsay: As far as fears in surfing, I guess it would be when I find myself paddling out in big waves and being stuck with a 9 foot board when a big set comes through. It’s hard to get through big waves with a 9 foot floatation device! To overcome it, I just try to keep myself in good shape so I am more likely to make it through the set, and work on keeping myself calm. Not that I surf giant, gnarly waves, but it still happens.
CB: What inspires you to keep pushing the limits of women’s longboarding?
Lindsay: I would like to push women’s longboarding to new levels to create more buzz around the sport, thus creating more support, and more opportunities, which could include bigger sponsorships and contest winnings.
CB: What advice would you give to someone who is trying to progress down from a longboard to a shortboard?
Lindsay: Transiting from longboard to shortboard, it a whole different game, but one worth trying! You have to
have a different mind set. For me, Its more of a get up and go, I am going to rip this wave a new one type of mind set. So I like surfing both long and short, that way depending on my mood, and the waves, I can surf accordingly.
CB: What advice can you offer to beginning women surfers?
Lindsay: My advice to beginning women surfers is to keep with it! I think the older you are when you learn to surf, the harder it is to get going, but it is so worth the hard work once you finally get it!!!
A thanks to Lindsay for taking the time to chat and a huge CONGRATS for her win in France- and good luck in China. Lindsay is definitely missing the World class waves we have down here in Nicaragua, hopefully she can travel down and show us a thing or two in longboarding!!
~Candace Pattillo