Alana Blanchard, affectionately known as Lana to her close ones, is a beacon of inspiration in the world of surfing. Born on March 5, 1990, in Kauai, Hawaii, she found her passion for surfing at the tender age of four, under the guidance of her father. She quickly showcased her talent, entering her first surf contest at nine.
Alana’s style on the waves, marked by stylish bottom turns and impeccable frontside carving skills, gained widespread recognition. By 14, she was already a semi-pro, collaborating with Rip Curl. Her competitive spirit shone through in numerous victories, including the T&C Women’s Pipeline Surfing Championship and the Haleiwa Roxy Pro Trials. Beyond the surf, Alana’s life is a harmonious blend of athleticism, modeling, motherhood, and vegan lifestyle advocacy.
Background
| Place of birth | Kauai, Hawaii, United States |
| Hometown | Kauai, Hawaii |
| Year of birth | March 5, 1990 |
| Weight | 124 lbs (56 Kg) |
| Height | 5 ft, 8 in (172 cm) |
| Stance | Regular |
| First season | 2008 Women’s QS |
Event wins
No first place finishes in all events joined under the World Surf League umbrella. But she has taken first place finishes in her early career before the WSL.
Backstory
Alana Blanchard was first taught how to surf when she was just 4 years old by her father, Holt. Alana rode her first wave at Hanalei Pier in Kauai. Then went on to compete for the first time when she was 9 years old.
Blanchard took first place in shortboard at the 2005 T&C Women’s Pipeline Championships.
She has also won championships in the following:
- The Women’s Pipeline Championships, Hawaii
- The Rip Curl Girls Festival Junior Pro, Spain
- The Roxy Pro Trials in Haleiwa, Hawaii
- The Billabong Pro Pre Trials in Hookipa, Maui
- The Volcom Pufferfish Surf Series in Pinetrees, Kauai
Beginning in 2004, Blanchard also established her professional relationship with Rip Curl swimwear, in which she designed and modeled, including a line of wetsuits.
In 2020, Rip Curl ended their sponsorship which Blanchard believes was due to her becoming a mother. In a statement, Rip Curl denied that this was the reason blaming it on an inability for Rip Curl and Blanchard to agree to terms of a new deal.
In May 2017, the Hawaiian surfer launched the Alana Blanchard Foundation (ABF) with the goal of supporting female talent in the sport of surfing.
She also has a large influence on social media with 1.6 million followers on Instagram and 130K subscribers on Youtube.
Alana Blanchard is sponsored by Hurley, Reef, SPY Optic, Sticky Bumps, GoPro, Rockstar and Channel Islands.
Surfboards
Alana’s two favorite Channel Islands boards are:
- 5’7″ 1/2 x 18 5/16 x 2 1/8 Fred Rubble
- 5’9″ x 18 3/16 x 2 1/16 Rookie
News, Articles and Interview
Quotes by Alana Blanchard
1. Surfing makes me happy, so that’s just what I’m going to keep doing.
2. I want to do whatever I possibly can to be as good as I can be.
3. Surfer girls rip and they are hot.
4. I think people are just haters. When they see people doing well, some people, if there’s something wrong, they’ll pick at that.
5. It’s funny because looking back at my first contest, I was 15 and surfing the Haleiwa contest wearing this tiny bikini. I remember not even thinking twice about wearing it – I just thought it was normal.
6. Kauai is kind of my place where I go to get centered. Its always my place to come back and feel normal again.
Other Activities and Interests
1. She is passionate about all kinds of animals;
2. Her favorite vegan recipes are vegan cookies, vegan pumpkin pies, and vegan banana bread;
3. She is obsessed with sunscreens and keeping hydrated;
4. Her favorite training ground is Hanalei Bay, on the north shore of Kauai;
5. The surfer from Kauai is particularly keen on designing bikinis and wetsuits;
6. As part of her fitness training program, Blanchard enjoys boxing, Pilates, and Yoga;
7. Alana always said she prefers surfing to modeling;
8. In May 2017, the Hawaiian surfer launched the Alana Blanchard Foundation (ABF) to support female talent in the sport of surfing;
9. When she is not surfing, Alana likes to workout to stay fit, and she always includes swimming, riding her bike, sprinting up stairs, interval training, squats, and lunges in her daily exercising program;
Interesting Facts about Alana Blanchard
1. Her full name is Alana Rene Blanchard;
2. Friends and family like to call her Lana;
3. Alana has two brothers – Byron Blanchard and Dorian Blanchard;
4. Alana Blanchard is vegan;
5. Alana Blanchard was surfing with her best friend Bethany Hamilton when, on October 31, 2003, a tiger shark attacked, ripped off Bethany’s left arm, and nearly killed her;
6. Alana Blanchard has over 4.1 million combined social media followers;
7. She says she has a hate-love relationship with cameras;
8. Alana Blanchard was a featured athlete in the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition;
9. Alana Blanchard’s favorite pro surfer is Stephanie Gilmore;
10. The Kauian surfer star thinks many comments made about her are “funny and hilarious”;
11. Today, Alana Blanchard considers herself a free surfer;
12. Blanchard participated in T-Mobile’s Sony Xperia Z commercial;
13. Alana Blanchard surfed until she was 20 weeks pregnant;
