© Jackie Fiero

When she was just 16, Mahina Maeda made headlines in the surfing community when she tow-surfed Nazare, becoming the youngest woman to do so. Now 22, Mahina, who hails from the North Shore of O’ahu, Hawaii, has accumulated three World Junior Championship titles and competes as a pro surfer representing her parents’ home country of Japan.

Mahina has also just joined the team at the Vitamin Sea Collective, a female members-only online community from the all-women team behind SurfGirl Magazine. The site focuses on the positive benefits of the ocean and covers fitness, surfing, wellbeing and nutrition, with live classes and tutorials where experts such as Mahina share their knowledge and tips. 

Looking ahead to the Olympics next year, I put some quick-fire questions to Mahina on training, Nazare and Japan 2021.