Montauk Pioneer - June 5, 2009 - On The Bus With Lisa

She pretty much invented the professional female surfer. Lisa Andersen, four time professional world surfing champion, mother and legend found one very unconventional way to success, a surfboard and a dream.

Sitting on the Quiksilver bus with Lisa Andersen was like sitting with surfing royalty. The perpetually in shape Lisa, with blonde hair and the perfect surfer tan, was snuggled into her black Roxy parka to defend against the Montauk rain last week. Lisa's toughness combined with beauty delivers one of the sexiest looks for women. You can see all the history of her remarkable life in her deep blue eyes, from her decision at age sixteen to runaway to Huntington Beach, California to pursue her surfing dream to being on the cover of "Surfer Magazine" in 1995 with a headline that read "Lisa Andersen Surfs Better Than You" to four consecutive World Championship Titles between 1994 and 1997.

She is charming and relaxed, like most surfers and surprisingly humble for being one of the most important people to ever ride a wave. I asked her what it felt like to be pretty much the person responsible for women in professional surfing to be taken seriously. "I'm not responsible for it. There are countless other people and other girls that have make surfing what it is today."

Lisa has been traveling throughout Montauk with an entourage of professional surfers visiting local surf shops, signing autographs and being an ambassador to the popular girl's surfing line, "Roxy." "The first time I came here was about 3 or 4 years ago for a surf contest. It was sort of a talent search for some local girls in the area and it was a lot of fun and we did notice a few girls here, in particular Quincy Davis who surfs in Puerto Rico in the winter time and here in the summer. We also did a surf camp for newspaper and magazine editors so that they could experience the surfing lifestyle," she said.

For a woman that has seen just about every beautiful beach and place in the entire world, Montauk was on her favorites list, and coming from her that's really saying something. "For me the whole area is just incredible. I'm a nature person, and being able to have the country feel and then the beach is just awesome. I'm a dreamer and am settled in California, but I was just telling the bus driver how I could easily live here and be happy."

Packed away at the back of the bus were several surfboards. Among the riders Lisa is traveling with are Quiksilver team riders Mark Healy, Peter Mel and Balaram Stack. With a major sponsor behind them and surfing medals to boot, the group is living pretty much what every surfer in Montauk dreams about. "Riding around on a bus with a bunch of your friends to go surfing is pretty fun," Lisa smiles.

Becoming a legend is never easy however, and it isn't supposed to be, but one surefire way to become one is to win at every level of competition. When Lisa first entered surfing competitions, she would win all of them and it was not uncommon for her to be compared with men in the sport, something that was never even heard of in the late eighties. Chicks who can surf? I mean really surf? Impossible. But Lisa never backed down, somewhat of a trademark to her personality. Her autobiography is appropriately titled, "Fearlessness: The Story of Lisa Andersen."

When she first entered competition Lisa won 35 National Scholastic Surfing Assosicaiton trophies in 8 months and then the US Championships at Sebastien Inlet in 1987. The surfing world absolutely loved her and her face was everywhere. Winning most of everything she competed in was important, but having beach girl looks and a lean body didn't hurt either. In 1990 Lisa was a pro and rose quickly in the ranks, becoming the "it" girl of the ASP Tour in 1994, winning the World Championships.

When the Roxy surfwear line was launched in 1990, Lisa was an obvious fit for the company and quickly became their face. Today, Roxy is synonomous with girls that surf as much as Lisa is. The lifestyle brand brings in roughly 400 million dollars worth of sales each year.

Although it was a brief visit to Montauk, it was a powerful one for her fans, who packed surf shops in Montauk like Air and Speed and flocked down to Ditch Plains beach for a chance at a picture and an autograph. Heading on the bus for more beaches and more surf shops, Montauk will certainly miss her, but it won't be the last time we see her here.