The last few months have come and gone so fast! On one hand I cant wait to get home as I feel as though I have been in Australia for much to long, and two months ago now feels like two years ago! On the other hand, I feel like it was literally just yesterday I was getting ready for my first heat at snapper. Weird how I think like that. 

Going into the beginning of this year I felt confident in my surfing. I had learned so much from my rookie year (the year before) and I was certain I was not going to make the same mistakes twice… However it seems like my plans changed right when I got two 9ths in a row at Snapper and Western Australia.  Had some amazing moments in the first two events and some great heat totals but I know I just needed to be more consistent with putting it all together in heats. Before I knew it we were back at Bells.

Bells is a place that I feel like I am at home. We have some great family friends there and the waves are similar to California. I was talking to my coach Mike Parsons and another friend that I work with from Bells before my heat and before the contest even started. We were talking about Kelly Slater and if you watch him when he surfs he is so relaxed. He is relaxed but also very smart and in tune with competition and he focuses on task at hand.  He has the perfect mix of not over thinking it and not being way to relaxed to the point of not caring.  That’s when I realized that what I needed to do was to start putting it together in heats. I knew I could get the high scores and I knew I could go far in contest, so why wasn’t I? Then I realized I was just over thinking things. I was so worried about who I was surfing against or what my competitor was doing and not focusing on what I, Lakey, needed to do.  Its finding that perfect balance like Kelly has of being competitive and focused but also relaxed and enjoying the moment.

I must say it is way easier said then done to find that perfect balance and trust it during a heat. But for me something needed to change! I went into Bells with this whole new mindset. I was surfing well and started making heat after heat! I found myself in the semi’s against Carissa Moore. Carissa is such an amazing surfer and had been surfing amazing the whole events at Bells. I knew it was going to be an incredible heat either way. It came down to the last second and was totally in the judge’s hands on who won that heat. They ended up giving Carissa the nod over me. She went on to win the event the next day. I gotta say that yes of course was bummed about not making it in that final and ringing the Bell, but I was also so at piece with everything because I know I did everything physically possible to do my best. 

After Bells it was off to New Zealand. To be honest I think all of us girls were pretty dang tired after Bells. We just has three contest in a row and hit the two month mark on traveling away from home.  

New Zealand was amazing though, so beautiful and the waves were fun! I ended up taking a 5^th place there. Not the result I wanted entirely but I also feel like I didn’t do anything wrong in the heat I lost…it just didn’t go my way, but I surfed good and I surfed smart.

Now, I am on the plane about three hours out from LA. Almost home! I am super excited for some down time at home with my family and friends before we head to Rio.  Just enjoying being 18 and loving life.

Thanks for reading!!