When you see Kristýna, you’ll immediately be drawn into her deep red hair. On the beach you’d instantly think she’s a mermaid. In fact, she’s 10% human according to her Insta bio.
She’s 90% mermaid,10% human and 100% badass. She’s a keen surf skater, who’s taking those skills into the sea and you’ll almost always find her at Riviera.
Her number 1 passion is surf skating, and she rocks it too. She’s at it as often as possible, and after a break due to injury, she’s keen to get back on her deck.
Her weapon of choice, is a Yow surf number with a rad design (and a Bomba sticker) It’s a 32.5” with looser trucks, for easier turns and better pumping.
“I don’t know why, but I started surf skating first with Valerio, during one of his lessons.” Since then, the community has grown, and so like minded souls have gathered, bonded and become a family.
“When I get good at something, I fall in love and so I really went for it.” “I live very close to the skate park, so after work, I’d go.” Consistency is the key, and what better way to wind down after work than to engage in a sport and learn new things?
“It’s good to go to Skatepark because you learn how to drop in, and go in a bowl” “Going to the skate park really pushed me. For me, it is the best spot there yes, but now I need to start back on flat ground…”
Getting back on decks
Kristýna needs to re-conquer the decks following a horrific car accident. Her and Sky were hit by a maniac who even tried to drive off after, and while Sky is back on the waves, Kristýna is edging closer to full strength. Good job the cast is off before summer. Thankfully members of the surf community were close enough to help these two, as frankly, it was a horrific episode.
Flash forward a couple of months, the cast is off, but the swelling still shows and you can feel the screws in her legs if you glide your fingers over them. It’s insane to think what she’s been through, but she’s back and already can’t wait to surf skate in a bowl.
“I was really into surf skate before the accident and I really can’t wait to grab my new surf skate, and my new protection.”
Overcoming fear and…
Now, for context, bowl riding takes courage. You wipe out, it’s concrete. Which is hard. “I’d rather slam onto the ground than wipe out at sea, I’ve been scared of water since I was a kid. I started to swim late and still hold my nose when I go into the water, so wiping out feels like half drowning.”
It’s incredible to see Kristýna overcome her fear when she does get on a surfboard too though, even if wiping out on concrete doesn’t sound like fun! For her it’s about control. “I’m more in control in the bowl”
…Standing on the sea
Kristýna loves SUP and really suits the lifestyle too. “I really enjoy it, it’s so chill and calm, you don’t fight for your life – you are alone in the sea, just the sea under you, the blue water, there’s no one around you, you enjoy the feeling of being in the water – its so nice.”
Keep shredding!
The surf skate community is growing too and she said that she’s “met so many nice people now through these sports. Damian, Julian, Sky, Myles, Bray, and Davide always join and they are always on fire everytime i see them.”
The two are related. Use flat days to surf skate, then check your progress out at sea. We’re now seeing immense improvements on the sea from most of the local surfers, and the constant practice is the key.
Kristýna’s journey was a tough one. Fear, an accident, but yet she is so enthusiastic and so passionate she just keeps going. It’s a lesson for all of us. When life knocks you down, just grab your deck and roll with it!
Kristýna: laid back, colourful and fantastically determined – what a Bomba™ combo.
