By Jake Howard
The stoke is on this summer, and Harper Olenik is feeling all the good ocean vibes. First learning to shred at Doheny when she was only 4 years old courtesy of her dad, these days you’ll probably find 8-year-old Harper in the lineup at Boneyards or Lower Trestles, where she’s just dipping her toes into the water.
When Harper’s not chasing waves, you may find her figure skating or snowboarding.
“I love to play music and sing, too … but I really like to surf,” says Harper, who will be barreling into third grade at St. Edward’s in Dana Point this fall.
Asked why she loves surfing so much, Harper says, “When you go down the face of a wave, it feels like you are on a roller coaster. I also like playing in the water between waves.”
Looking up to accomplished women in the water such as Bethany Hamilton, Carissa Moore and Courtney Conlogue, Harper is inspired by surfing, because “the waves are not predictable, and the ocean is fun.”
And in terms of where she sees her pursuit of wave-riding taking her in the next 10 years, she’s already thinking like a hardcore, dedicated surfer.
“It will take me to some tropical places,” Harper says.
Sounds as if a surf trip might be next on her list of things to do this summer.
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