Tarnea O’Meara on taking it to the next level

This week we caught up with Tarnea O’Meara, a surfer from the Sunshine Coast who is making her debut on the WQS Circuit in 2014. Here’s what we found out.

Vital Stats:

Age: 19

Home: Sunshine Coast

Sponsors: Rue Stiic, Changing Habits, 4D surfboards, stick it surf wax

Years Surfing: 4

Goals:

To make aerials one of my strength in women’s competitive surfing.
To be a role model for my generation and promote a more natural healthy lifestyle.
To be seen as an ambassador for women in sports, particularly in surfing and snowboarding.

Tarnea has been surfing since she was 16. Before then you would be lucky to see her on a board twice a year. Competitive surfing only started for her in 2011, which makes her a bit of a latecomer compared to other competitive surfers who have started at a much younger age. That doesn’t stop her from pursuing her goals as a professional surfer and being better than the boys in a male dominated sport. While surfing has for a long time been seen as a care-free anything-goes lifestyle, with the level of professional surfing going to new heights its hard to ignore the need for training to be taken seriously. Not only for a competitive edge but to set the right example for the future surfing athletes.

Recently I have noticed that the surfing world is becoming more influential than ever. You not only have to be a great surfer, but a positive role model, promote a healthier lifestyle and reach the younger generation of kids. I am chemical and drug free, I eat organic, clean foods, and spend my days working, cross training and surfing. Surfing and health have become my complete focus since 2010 and I believe in a healthier and more natural lifestyle is needed in the industry in order to reach the younger generation.

~ Tarnea O’Meara

Following up a 2^nd place in an international event the Taiwan Open of Surfing 2013 she is currently competing for the first time on the 2014 WQS circuit. Her combination of skill, healthy lifestyle and personality make her a female surfer worth keeping a close eye on in the coming years.