The Girl Wonder from West Oz
Welcome to the 13th installment of the Late Drop – The Big Wave podcast. The series was created to showcase conversations with some of the best big-wave surfers in the world — hosted by one of the best big-wave surfers in the world. New episodes will drop on Surfline each week — upcoming guests include Ross Clarke-Jones and others. Stay tuned here for more.
Five years ago, a young woman from Perth, who was becoming disillusioned with the waves on the women’s world tour rode the biggest wave ever caught by a female Australian surfer at Cowaramup Bombora, aka Cow Bombie. That young woman was Felicity Palmateer, aka “Flick.” It was a wave that broke 7X world champion Layne Beachley’s previous record (a woman whose signed poster Flick would admire her whole life, pinned to her bedroom wall). From that wave through the present, she’s been chasing giant swells all over the world — even finishing runner up to Paige Alms last year in the Peahi Challenge (by a slim 1.48-point margin). Freshly home from a giant swell-run up the coast of her native Western Australia, Jamie checks in with this fearless woman-wonder.
0:00: Growing up in Western Australia, Going up to Gnarloo, Learning to surf from father, Beginning to compete, Doing WQS, Pro Juniors and WCT in one year
17:58: Getting into big waves, Margaret River Main Break, Yallingup, Near-shark attack
26:32: Actually making a career out of big wave surfing, Pivotal Cow Bombie session, Breaking Layne Beachley’s record
35:05. First session at Jaws, First Jaws challenge event, Mentorship from Andrea Moller
46:46: Sponsorless big wave surfing, Current (future) travel plans
50:10. Training routine, Art exhibitions, Putting things into perspective
57:33: Felicity’s 5-to-Finish Questions
Felicity Palmateer