Alana Blanchard

Alana Blanchard, best friend of Bethany Hamilton, aka, the girl who's arm was bitten off by a shark. Crazy right? Believe it or not, Bethany is the reason I know of her. Alana is a professional surfer and also a model. Her career is only a dream of mine. She started surfing very young, also in the best waves. It would take a ton of work for me to become as successful of a surfer as she was at the age of fifteen. Modeling is only a side career compared to how much she surfs.

Surfing is an incredible career, sport, and lifestyle. To be most successful as a surfer, you should be educated with one or two degrees in something of your choice, probably something that has to do with the ocean. Training can be tough, but if you enjoy what you're doing then it is all worth it in the end. Surf, a lot. Eat healthy. Exercise by running, working on balance, building up arm strength, etc. The average yearly salary of a professional surfer is over one million dollars; this doesn't include what your sponsors give you over time, like clothes, new boards, wetsuits, etc.

Alana was such a sweetheart child. She was hard working and knew what she wanted and she thrived for success. Ever since she started surfing, she knew she wanted to go pro. In 2005, Alana won rookie of the year, third place in the O'Neil World Cup of Surfing, first place in the Rip Curl Grom Search Nationals, second, third and fourth at the NSSA Nationals (in different categories), first place, first place, and third place at the NSSA Regionals (in different categories), first place at the HASA State Championships, and first place at the T7C Women's Pipeline Championships. During the year of 2006, Alana won the International Rip Curl Gromsearch Championships. In 2007, she won forth place at the NSSA Nations at Trestles, here in California. She also was awarded with third place at the HASA State Championships in Ala Moana Bowls in Hawaii, first place at the Volcom Pufferfish Surf Series, first at the Billabong Pro Pre Trials, first place at the Roxy Pro Trials, first place at the Rip Curl Girls Festival Jr. Pro in Spain, Alana made it to the quarter finals in Spain at the Rip Curl Girl's Festival, and first at the Women's Pipeline Championships. Since then she has competed in so many competitions and was just as or more successful.

Alana is a role model to many people. Children, teens, and adults. I, myself, look up to her because she is an inspiration of mine. She is an incredible surfer and beautiful model, but she is also a loveable child to her parents and to her fans. Her family and friends adore her personality and she is a great person all around.

Alana Blanchard was brought into her career at such an early age, and was very successful by the time for high school, that she did not attend. Alana also skipped out on her college experience. Her lifetime goal was to be successful at surfing, and I can greatly say that she is achieving her goal.