The name Rachael Tilly is legendary in the surfing world.
At just 17, she made history by becoming the youngest world title holder when she clinched the 2015 Women’s World Longboard Championship in Hainan, China.
Tilly continues to solidify her status as a longboarding icon, recently triumphing at the WSL Longboard Tour’s second stop, the Huntington Beach Longboard Classic.
The victory has propelled her second in the rankings with two events remaining on this year’s tour.
The Bond University Alumna has dedicated her win to a surfing friend who recently died, making the performance all that more meaningful.
“I’m feeling so many emotions, so much happiness and elation,” Tilly said,
“It’s been a long day, a long week, and I can’t believe we made it to this point.
“I have dedicated this to Gretchen Harris, we just lost her. She’s such a big influence on our Southern California longboard community and touched so many people.
“I was thinking about her while I was out there, and this means so much.”
With her family on the sand ready to support, Tilly managed to get her first major win over Soleil Errico, her fellow Southern Californian long-time rival.
“My whole family was there,” she said.
“To have this moment here at my home with my family. My heart is exploding.”
This Bachelor of Sport Management graduate has put together a long list of successes.
Along with her world title, she earned accolades as the WSL North American Champion and Under 18 Champion at the Noosa Festival of Surfing – all while completing her final year of high school.
She made it onto the Dean’s List and the Vice Chancellor’s List for her academic achievements at Bond University, and gained valuable insights into her the business of her sport by completing an internship with the World Surfing League, for which Bond is Official Higher Education Partner.
Now 26, Tilly is back in California chasing waves closer to family.