Who Will Be The Next Queen Of The Peak?

Surfing is intimately woven into the Tofitian way of life but it takes an immense amount of dedication to perfect the sport, mentally and physically. For the relationship to be positive and meaningful, one must commit a generous volume of their leisure time. This means squeezing a paddle in between work shifts and maximizing daylight hours.

A surf session usually starts before you leave the house. Board selection is critical to maintaining a suitable level of stoke. Now you’re in the parking lot. Your heightened senses analyze wind speed and direction, temperature, weather, and the number of parked cars you recognize. Everyone has their own identifier. If “so-and-so” is out, it must be too big/too small/totally worth it/or barrelling. Your first fork in the road is the decision to a) just commit, suit up and head out or b) waste valuable time by walking down to the beach to ensure all the factors are indeed favourable.

Now that you’ve decided to go for it, you pull out your wetsuit and make an awkward, strenuous, and potentially compromising change before making your way to the water. The paddle-battle ensues and with each stroke, you contemplate turning around and heading straight back to the sauna. Instead, you push forward, finally reaching the outside where you sit up and catch a breath and blow your nose. As you rest your arms, you scan the line-up to see if your friends are out. After a few sets, you’re able to gauge the level of abilities of those around you. You decide to paddle further up the line avoiding the disorderly 10ft soft-top.

You’re now ready to catch a wave, knowing each one is a unique and unpredictably formed occurrence of varying duration. You stare intently and patiently at the horizon, watching little white cotton balls pulse against the outer reef. Your environment is evolving constantly and your skill level depends on your ability to adapt. You slowly condition yourself to anticipate where, when, and how a wave will present itself, suffering the wrath of the washing machine when you’re wrong (and you will be wrong…repeatedly).

Here at Long Beach Lodge Resort, we are proud to support two of our valued Surf Club instructors as they compete in this year’s Queen of the Peak: Women’s Surf Championships. They have trained hard and are ready for the weekend!

Meet Isabelle Lamoureux & Alle Bernardi!

Isabelle is from Montreal, Quebec. She grew up with a love for water and a flare for water skiing and wake boarding. After a trip to Hawaii, she discovered a passion for a new board sport, surfing. She has followed waves around the world, spending time in Peru before calling Tofino her home. Her favourite surf spot is at North Chesterman, as the steep beach offers a powerful wave. She is stoked about competing in an all-girls surf competition. She considers it an opportunity to push her limits and proudly participate in this exciting showcase of women surfers of the west coast.

Isabelle Lamoureux (L) + Alle Bernardi (R)

Alle Bernardi is an island girl, born in Victoria, BC. She too grew up on the water, kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, and surfing. The surf bug really burrowed while on her Australian trip at the age of 18. Her travels through Fiji, Indo, Mexico, California, Central and South America solidified her love affair with the sport. You’ll usually find Alle at Long Beach where she appreciates the variety of wave conditions that come through. She sees the QOP as a great opportunity for all girls to unite and share a day of surfing. The contest offers a positive environment of support and encouragement. It’s a friendly competition that allows you to push yourself, surrounded by strong, talented and inspiring women.

*UPDATE: We are so proud of our team! Alle scored a 9.3, taking 1st place in her qualifying heat for the short board competition. Issy scored a 13.86 for her first ride, taking 2nd place and a seat in round 1 for the long board division.

With panoramic views of Cox Bay, you can be sure the team at LBLR will be cheering for all the inspiring women amongst the waves below. Join us!

Who Will Be The Next Queen Of The Peak?

Here at Long Beach Lodge Resort, we are proud to support two of our valued Surf Club instructors as they compete in this year’s Queen of the Peak: Women’s Surf Championships. They have trained hard and are ready for the weekend!

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