Several Southern California WCT hopefuls made a serious push to add another Californian to a tour where Golden Staters are on the endangered list. Alex Gray, Pat Gudauskas, Nathaniel Curran, Mike Losness, Brett Simpson, and Julia Christian (inches away from her second qualification) all were threats on the WQS, and a couple of them came pretty dang close reaching the upper echelons of professional surfing. 

Twenty-five-year-old Kyla Langen, from Carlsbad, has joined Julia Christian in the pursuit of re-establishing an American presence on the women’s WCT. Kyla has racked up some good results, quarterfinals at the U.S. Open and semis at Trestles; not to mention a ninth place finish in this year’s first WQS women’s event at Phillip Island against some blood thirsty Sheila’s and other international threats from the WCT and WQS. She is already a veteran to travel racking up passport stamps from New Zealand, Australia, Dominican Republic, Barbados, England, France, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland, South Africa, Brazil, Peru, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Canada, and Mexico. Kyla is an ambitious and very talented surfer who can fill a giant void on the WCT and put her stamp on women’s surfing.

 


Sponsors… O'Neill, Anarchy Eyewear, Sticky Bumps, Himaya Sunscreen, Da Kine.
Plan for 2007: Qualify for the WCT.
After surfing… make music, revive the garden programs at schools, hike the Pacific Crest Trail, open a healthy café.
Training… biking, stretching, skating, hiking, 
Favorite female surfer… Melanie Bartels.
Favorite male surfer… Rob Machado.
Wheels… A zippy Honda Civic.
10 years ago… Carlsbad High A-B student. Singing in choir, playing basketball and surfing CIF, NSSA and USSF.

In 10 years… who knows? Singing in a band, traveling sustainability, writing a book or for an outdoor or surf magazine, teaching outdoor education, being a mom, we'll see.