Episode 14: Mathea Olin

Surfer Mathea Olin talks Olympics, body image and her goal of becoming the first Canadian to qualify for the World Surfing Tour

Photo courtesy: Nate Laverty

Today, surfer and Pan Am Surf Games Gold Medallist Mathea Olin joins the podcast to talk riding waves, the Olympics, and what she really thinks about bikini shots.

Mathea is one of Canada’s up and coming surfing talents. At just 17, she may be a newer face, but has already cemented herself on the surfing map, winning Canada’s first ever international medals in surfing at the Pan Am Surf Games, a gold in longboard and bronze in shortboard. She now has her sights set on representing Canada at the Tokyo Olympics, and becoming the first Canadian to qualify for the World Surfing Tour.

In today’s episode, Mathea shares what it’s like to be a competitive athlete at such a young age (she competed in her first competition at 12 years old!), and how she feels about providing inspiration and being a role model to other surfers in Canada.

She also dissects the future of the sport in Canada and what she’d like to see change. Her biggest suggestion: more equality. While the World Surfing Tour was one of the first leagues to offer equal pay, Mathea says females are still encourages to do modeling and bikini photo shoots to boost their credentials, which she believes shouldn’t be a necessity anymore.

We also talk about:

· Her goal of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympic

· Becoming a Red Bull athlete

· How she hopes to inspire the next generation of surfers

· How she finds balance between being a teen and a competitive surfer

· The competitiveness between female surfers

Quote:

“I think growing up surfing and being a surfer, a lot of females, if they want to get paid and make it in the sport they also have to do a bit of modeling and that whole bikini side, and I think mainly for people not to have to worry about doing that and just being able to make it out of pure talent and who they are, that would be huge.”

- Mathea Olin, Surfer & Pan Am Games Gold Medallist

Resources:

Guest Info – Mathea Olin

Instagram: @mathea_olin

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Website: openingtheplaybook.com

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook