Tory Gilkerson’s Snapshots from China during the Swatch Girls Pro

Monday, November 18, 2013

"We just got in and I am so stoked! It's beautiful and tropical and we have an amazing view from the hotel. We may not get to surf today as there's only a little swell. It should be three to four feet for the contest though."

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

"Today we got to free surf before the event that starts tomorrow. The surf was super fun and offshore with 3 to 5 foot waves. It was fun to practice with all the girls and get ready for the event. We also had an opening ceremony last night. They put on an amazing show with dance performers and speakers for us. It was an awesome experience and I am so excited to see the event unfold tomorrow."

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

"Today was so sick! I am so stoked to have won the first round heat and move straight into Round Three. The conditions cleaned up and provided us with some 4 to 5 foot glassy surf all day. The wave is a left hand point break that hits a couple of steep sections and is super fun. [ Photo: Swatch/Poullenot - click image to jump to full size at swatchgirlspro.com ]

Friday, November 22, 2013

"I had an amazing day at the contest yesterday. I had a super fun Round Three heat with one of the Brazilian girls and won to move to Round Four. I was edged out in Round Five by one of the French girls. Overall it was a very fun contest and the camaraderie amongst the American girls is great, we all hung together and rooted each other on. I am excited to go explore this tropical paradise and find some new waves! This beachfront hotel is amazing and there's a fun little beach break right in front. The food is great--we get buffet style breakfast and dinner and they really try to give us some American food options, thankfully 😉 ."

Saturday, November 23, 2013

"Today we went up into a temple in the mountains and it was beautiful. We took a rattly ski lift up the mountain that was so scary, then hiked down and saw some beautiful Buddhist temples and statues. We went to a tourist attraction and turned into the attraction ourselves. After taking a photo with this lady, several Chinese tourists lined up to take photos with Karina and me."

Sunday, November 24, 2013

"To finish off the trip, I had an awesome time with my bud, Karina Rozunko, surfing a secret spot in China!" Notes from the jetty... Tory Gilkerson is on Hainan Island, China getting ready to compete in the upcoming Swatch Girls Pro that is scheduled for November 20-24. The 20-year-old goofyfoot was the 3x USA Under-18 Longboard Champion and recently starred in Birdman Media's all-women longboard film, "Say No More" which debuted earlier this year. We often run into her while surfing Oceanside Harbor so we asked the talented surfer if she'd want to share some of her experiences in China this year. We hope you check back often as this page will be continuously updated as her journey unfolds. We wish the best of luck to Tory and all the women competing in China for the World Title this year.
Additional Resources: Tory Gilkerson on Facebook Tory Gilkerson on Instagram Hawaiian Pro Designs Eidon Zeal Optics Swatch Girls Pro China - official site Swatch Girls Pro China on Facebook
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