Codie Klein Pro Surfer Vs Accounting Student

August 8, 2014

Codie Klein Pro Surfer Vs Accounting Student

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Codie Klein takes a surfboard vertical most days of the week, she has been touring and competing on the Australian Junior Surfing circuit, has represented Australia in the World Surfing Games and now as a competitor on the ASP’s World Qualifying Tour trying to make the Dream Tour.

It’s kind of hard to track where she ever is because she’s balancing a tricky university degree, life as a professional surfer and a social life. She’s proof that you don’t have to ditch one or the other, with persistence and passion you can have a kick-as cutback and ace your exams in the classroom.

Codie is hanging out in California leading up to the Super Girl Pro along with our own Skye Burgess. She is supported by her sponsors Piping Hot, Morlife, Sukin Organics , Jts Coconut Essence, Stacey Surfboards, The Glass Lab, The Kingscliff Beach Hotel and SEA accessories.

When did you first start surfing? Have you always been a water baby? I started surfing when I was about 12 but I was in the water at such a young age swimming and doing nippers. I remember being in our pool at home and dad saying swim to daddy and in my floaties I would try so hard but he ket moving backwards. I just always loved the water at about 10 I was really good at nippers and staring standing up on that board and from there I got a surfboard for Christmas and I was hooked.

When did you first start competing I did my first contest when I was 14 it was after that I started doing the club rounds at Kingscliff (NSW North Coast). Honestly after that first contest I was hooked it was only a little from event but I came second and I just wanted to keep doing it. My parents were never really into the whole competitive surfing scene like some of the parents theses days. When I was young I used to have to choose between the from event in Lenox and the Occy at D-bah because for the first few years I had to choose so we could still go on a family camping holiday in the school holidays.

Codie Klein Photo: Billy Stafford Liquid Boulevard

What’s the best part about surfing for you? The opportunities it’s given me, the people I’ve met and most of all the life style of it. Its a free spirited thing, even on the worst and most stressful of days you can go surfing and for that little period of time it all ok.

You are studying at university, where do you want it to take you? I’m doing Accounting and Finance at university and its pretty full on. I have always loved numbers and have a really realistic outlook on life. For me uni is the back up plan or an after surfing option. One day I after my degree I would love to do a CPA (Chartered Practicing Accountant) and become qualified and maybe even set up my own minor accounting firm in a town that I enjoy. That’s why I love it, it’s a career that you can honestly do anywhere.

How do you find the balance between surf training/travel, working and studying? I would be lying if I said it was easy but I get it done I think its all about time management and being organised. I have days where I leave the house at 5:30am and I have so many bags one for surfing one for training another wetsuit for my second surf two or three pre prepared meals and my clothes for Uni. I regularly get changed and put make up on at the traffic lights. I try to make the most out of every hour of the day I get but still leaving time every now and then to hang out with my friends and boyfriend.

Codie Klein Photo: Russell Richardson Focus 64

You recently had a knee operation, what happened and how hard was it being out of the water for so long? What did you do for your active recovery? It was such a horrible experience for me I did it last year at training, I tore my meniscus in half 4 days before the American and Europe leg of the WQS. My parents were away and that night I went into shock and had an anxiety attack I broke out in the most horrible rash ever.

I think after all of it being out of the water for 6 months doing rehab and being on crutches for 3 months I learnt so much about myself. I experiences what its like to be a normal 20 year old at uni with very few other commitments and I realised how much I appreciate surfing and my hectic life I think at the end of the day I am a better person because of the injury.

Did being forced out of the water make you more hungry to compete or change your perception of surfing or your relationship with the ocean? Yeah defiantly, I was so determined to get back in the water, I had to pass a heap of strength and mobility tests before I could surf again so I was honestly doing single leg squats at home like 5 times a day because that’s how badly I wanted to surf again.

I just loved the ocean I was going body boarding and when I got back in the water It just made me feel like I was all worth it. I became a little from I would go surfing when it was so bad and even now 6 months on I still froth surfing so much more then I did before.

What are your surfing aspirations? Do you want to continue competing, how are you going to push yourself to improve? I want to qualify for the world tour in the next 2-3 years that’s my goal. It was my goal before my injury and well all that did was set everything back a year. I train hard and will continue to do so, work on my equipment and try to improve as much as I can.

What was the best part about representing Australia 2 years ago on the National Team? Just competing as a team its not something you get to do very often as a surfer so the whole thing both in Peru and Panama was the best experience everyone cheering you on it doesn’t happen often enough.

If you could do anything or implement any program to lift the profile of women’s surfing what would it be? I think women’s surfing is in really god hands at the moment as much as I hate social media at times its good to see it helping women’s surfing be recognised in the greater world. The only thing I could think of is putting the woman in better waves particularly the WQS by doing so you would see the best surfers on the WCT. Also I think with 4 man priority being implemented hopefully next year will be a massive improvement to the WQS.

What will Codie Klein be doing in 5 years time? Hopefully be on the world tour but if not I’ve had a great time along the way and probably be a nerd somewhere.

What board are you riding now and what else is your quiver? My go to board is a 5’9 HB model by the legendary Lee Stacey, he makes great boards and looks after me, I also travel with a groveler and a step up board.

Finish the sentence…

The first duck dive is… either blissful in the summer or painful in the winter.

I can’t wait to… wake up in the morning and go back to Wholefoods in America – soooooo amazing

In the morning… I am driving from Santa Monica to Oceanside