A CONVERSATION WITH HONOLUA BLOMFIELD
When Honolua Blomfield steps on a surfboard, she emits a grace and style all her own. The nineteen year old North Shore native is a current World Longboard Champion and just recently won the first ever Women’s Duct Tape Invitational. We caught up with her in Huntington Beach after the U.S. Open madness had died down. As the event crew dismantled the massive setup on the sand, we drank coffee and talked for a bit…
A CONVERSATION WITH HONOLUA BLOMFIELD
Hono, congrats again on pulling the win at the first ever Women’s Duct Tape Invitational. That must have been a rad experience!
It was great! I went into the event not expecting anything really. The first heat was a pretty tough one, just surfing with a bunch of legends. I was pretty scared, not gonna lie, but I got a couple scores and made it out of the heat. Next thing you know, I’m in the final, stress free! I had achieved my goal.
So once you make it to a final there’s no stress?
Yeah like, if I lose it’s all good. Just making it was amazing for me. You always have a chance to win. Just surf your best and see what happens. I mean, all the stars aligned and there I was! (Laughs)
Do you always get nervous before contests?
Not normally, but I was the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life before this one. I got the invite and freaked, the Duct Tape and Joel Tutor is the best of the best! That’s as high as it goes. With the world title, I was stoked when I made that, but it’s a different side of longboarding. The fact that I even got invited to the Duct Tape is crazy, just being able to showcase my surfing and what I can do. Since I was ten, I've had a log. A lot of people think of me as something else, or maybe I get a little crap for riding a 2 + 1, but my heart’s with logging.
Did Joel (Tudor) give you any advice before the contest?
Yeah! He said, “Someone better get a party wave!” (Laughs) It was all about fun and sharing waves.
So let's talk about growing up. You’ve been surfing and riding a longboard since you were so young. What was it like when you first started competing?
My first contest was on a shortboard when I was four. I lost, but I wanted to do the whole thing by myself. My mom was like, “You’re going to go out and lose to everyone,” and I was like, ‘Okay!’ I didn’t care, I just wanted to surf and do my own thing. I loved it. I don’t know how I started longboarding, it just came naturally. I still shortboard, it just depends on the waves. I like the mix. I don’t like to stick to one style of surfing.
That’s awesome! You’re a total product of that new generation, where even fifteen years ago you kinda had to make a decision. Now you see people surfing all sorts of insane shapes and just doing their own thing.
Yeah! I like it, definitely more my style. Ride a board for the kind of waves you’re surfing. But I think I like longboarding so much because the contests are mellow. No worries, no coaches trying to tell you what’s right or wrong or how to move your arms. Being able to express yourself freely in a contest is so amazing. I surfed the QS for a little bit and but it wasn’t my thing. I just wanted to have fun and surf and to not compete against people with the same style. I started doing Malibu contests and that’s when I got into longboarding. Everyone’s there to have a good time and do what they love.
So we’ve seen photos of you doing these insane wheelies on a motorcycle! Has that always been an interest of yours?
Yep, I rode my first dirt bike when I was two years old! We would go to Maui over summer to visit my grandpa, me and my older brother. My grandpa would put me on the bike and I couldn’t even touch the ground. He’d be like, “Okay, hold on,” and I’d just ride around and come back and he’d catch me. Then I always had a bike until I was ten or twelve. We went riding in Bali, I met these people and they have like thirty bikes in their shop. They let me pick, and the first year I went I rode the smaller one. This year I rode the bigger one, just to try it, and I rode like five times. It’s so fun, I just like getting out there and doing stuff. Skating, surfing, all those kinds of sports.
Yeah, you just let it flow.
It took me a few days to build up the courage to do wheelies on the big bike. I took a couple spills, not gonna lie. (Laughs)
Did you skate a lot when you were growing up?
Yeah! My mom always wanted us to be busy, and I loved doing things. I did ju jit zu, soccer, just anything I could be competitive in and have fun with. With skating, I was maybe eight when they built the skatepark by my house. We would roll up in my mom’s van and skate all day long. I just love to do things. If you can skate, why wouldn’t you? Pool skating is so fun.
Yeah, especially coming from surf and just being able to rip in a pool. So when you’re at home or on the road, what kind of music are you listening to?
I like everything, but I really like country. If I had to choose I would probably say some sort of country playlist.
Haha no way! New country?
Yeah! (Laughs) Mostly some Sam Hunt or Thomas Rhett. I want to go to Stagecoach, hopefully. I saw Sam Hunt front row a while ago. Luke Bryan too. Country pop. I like a little bit of rap too. ASAP Rocky or YG. With country, everyone hates it so much! I feel like I can only listen when I’m alone. I really like it. It makes me happy just listening to love songs.
So we heard you want to move to California?
I want to! I don’t know where yet. I just need to get off the rock.
What’s your favorite city in California to hangout in when you’re here?
I like San Clemente or Malibu. San Clemente is so mellow, I’ve spent my whole summer there so far.
What are you looking forward to for the rest of this year?
I’m looking forward to the Surf Relik and the Kelly’s Wave Pool, that’s gonna be sick at the end of the month! Hopefully I can do well. I want to win another world title but I’m not expecting to. Going to Taiwan later this year will be fun too!
Anything you want to accomplish?
I don’t like goals, we’ll just see how it goes. I’d love to win again but there’s so much that goes into it. I would say competing well is 50% luck. You can still surf your best but if the waves don’t come to you, you won’t get the scores.
Sounds good Hono, thanks so much for hangin’ out.
Yeah, thank you!
