| Rochelle Ballard | |
| Website: | https://rochelleballard.com/ |
| Birth Date: | 13 February 1971 |
| Birth Place: | Montebello, California |
| Residence: | Kauai, Hawaii |
| Height: | 5' 1" |
| Weight: | 106 lbs |
| Years Active: | 1990-present |
| Favorite Maneuvers: | Barrel Riding |
| Favorite Waves: | Cloudbreak, Lance's Right, Backdoor, Lower Trestles |
| Stance: | Regular |
| Major Achievements: | Runner-up to World Title in 2004, still holds the world record for scoring two 10s in a single heat, winner of 3 Surfer Poll Awards (2000, 2001, and 2002), won World Qualifying Series in 1997 |
Rochelle Ballard (born February 13, 1971) is an American professional surfer and a veteran of the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Championship Tour. She co-founded International Women's Surfing (IWS) and has appeared in several movies and television shows, including, Blue Crush, Step Into Liquid, and Beyond the Break.
Ballard was born Rochelle Gordines in Montebello, California on February 13, 1971. Her parents moved to the island of Kauai in Hawaii when she was six months old. With the encouragement of Margo Oberg, another accomplished female surfer, Ballard started surfing at 11 years old.[1]
Ballard began competing in local surfing competitions and soon advanced to state competitions, to nationals and finally to the world amateur titles, where she placed fourth in the World in 1988 and 1990.[2] She qualified to surf professionally on the World Championship Tour in 1991.
Ballard was a producer and stunt double for the movie Blue Crush in 2002.[3] She starred in A Girl's Surf Addiction, a surf film that O'Neill released in 2004, and helped produce a "yoga for surfers" video series.[4] In 2001, she starred in the surfing documentary 7 Girls. She co-founded International Women's Surfing (IWS) and, together with O'Neill, launched the Rochelle Ballard Surf Camp series which focuses on advanced surfing techniques, cross-training, and education.[5]
In 2012, she became the ISA World Masters World Champion. During her years on tour, Ballard won seven world championship events and was runner-up to the World Championship title in 2004. In 1997, she competed in the Billabong Pro at Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Australia and scored two perfect 10-barrel rides against Layne Beachley in the semi-finals; she went on to win the event after beating Lisa Anderson in the finals. Ballard continues to hold the women's world record for scoring two perfect 10s in a single heat.
In 1991, Rochelle married cinematographer Bill Ballard; they divorced in 2004.
She currently resides on the island of Kauai, where she operates a surf, yoga, and wellness business called Surf Into Yoga.[6]
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