I think it doesn't matter if you are the best surfer in the world. I'm going to try to be the best surfer I can be. It's not all about competing and being the best. It's more about having fun and just doing what you love.

We all need that extra friend outside of our immediate family to talk about that extra stuff you wouldn't normally talk to your parents about.

I don't know how long I'll be competing but I'll always be surfing. I'll be surfing until I'm old.

Surfing is so unique and it's something that no matter what level you are, you can go and have fun. You can pick and choose the waves that you want to surf, so if it is too big and scary, you can wait until it changes and gets more to your level. Every time you go out it's always different and unique. It's almost like a place you can just de-stress.

You fall off the horse and you get back on.

Learning how to deal with people and their reactions to my life is one of the most challenging things... people staring at me, people asking rude questions, dealing with media, stuff like that.

Both of my parents are surfers, of course, so they understood where my passion for surfing was at and I guess they saw the talent that I had.