Rider Profile: Kelly Marie Gordon

Maui, Hawaii

Winter 2006

As Kelly Marie Gordon attaches her leash to her bicep a rainbow stretches across the horizon and the incoming sets. The scenery simply makes a person smile.

Ever sense she was born in a small cane house in Kula on the island of Maui the 22-year-old Hawaiian has been really, really happy.

Any person in Kelly’s tropical situation would be happy, but she personifies it with her daily activities.

“Everyday I wake up and I know that I can look forward to bodyboarding. Even if I am at work I always know that I can go bodyboarding and it keeps me in a good mood all day.”

When she is not bodyboarding Kelly can be found making bodyboarding movies that air on channel 54 AKAKU in Maui or practicing Kundalini yoga.

“It (Yoga) makes me feel happy, healthy, and strong. All I know is that it has helped me do more radical moves and breath better in larger surf.”

Nothing brings a smile to a surfers face more than large-clean waves and Kelly gets to indulge in those more often than most bodyboarders.

“I surfed this sick wave on Maui called Osterizers. It was just my friend Sarah and I all by ourselves. We were bodyboarding solid 4-foot backs. It was totally glassy and overcast and the waves had thick lips. Every time I would bottom turn I would slide out, come around the section and get barreled so hard. My Jaw was hurtin’ cause I was smiling so much.”

And that is why Kelly is such a happy person because she has good waves, good weather and a positive outlook, which transcends into her outlook of Maui bodyboarding.

“Bodyboarding is definitely moving to the next level here in the islands. There are so many underground rippers here. I’m trying hard to represent the chicks and get them more exposure in the industry.”

More exposure for female bodyboarders is something Kelly can do, as long she doesn’t have to leave the islands. She has only been off the islands once and it would be tough to get her to do it again.

“I can’t handle being without my warm sun and water I am such an island girl.”

And for that she is luckier than she will ever know.