It was exactly 22 years ago: my first trip to the North Shore,

my first winter season in Hawaii,

the purpose: the very first Women Pipeline Contest, it was December 1989 into 1990.

I was a girl, full of hopes for a professional carrier on the sport of bodyboarding and

coming to Hawaii was the ultimate challenge after many brazilian titles.

With me that year, there were the very first wave of professional women bodyboarder rippers from Brazil,

the group that changed the way the world saw women bodyboarding.

While we were waiting for the very first event for the women at the famous venue,

Stephanie Petersen and I started the Hawaiian waves experience competing at the Pipeline men’s event.

I remember I advanced the men trials in solid waves and even got a plaque for that achievement.

photo 1: Morey Boogie Contest 1990

Little after that, it happened:

The 1990 -1st Annual World Championship of Women's Bodyboarding.

photo 2: First women to compete at Pipeline ever 1990

The waves were amazingly good as we had never seen and
we all had a blessing surfing Pipeline with only few friends and getting BARRELS.

The final was all about Brazilians and Hawaiians.

Pipeline legend Ben Severson’s wife Chris Kim put a good fight along with local sweet heart Shawnee Oide but,

there were Stephanie and I, the Brazilians, taking the first and second place at the “dream event”.

On my very first trip to Hawaii,

I was the women bodyboarding vice world champion and sponsored by TAMPAX and CASHMERE BOUQUET.

A whole new world started for me after that.

Not only for the title and experience I just have had but, WHAT WAS THIS PLACE...

I remember being at the beach at midnight on that New Year’s eve thanking God for been able to come here and

praying for him to let me live in Hawaii for the last decade of the millennium.

22 years have past, I am still here

proundly being the only competitor to have competed on all 22 years of Pipeline events.

My results after the vice in 1990:

1991 -5th place, 1992 -6th place, 1993 -6th place, 1994 -4th place, 1995 -6th place,

1996 -3rd place. This year because the Pipeline event result, I BECAME THE FIRST WOMEN WORLD CHAMPION,

after a very competitive year on the very first world tour of bodyboarding,

against the best the sport has ever seen:

Stephanie Pettersen, Mariana Nogueira, Karla Costa and Neymara Carvalho.

1997 -13th place (lost for interference), 1998 -7th place, 1999 -7th place, 2000 -7th place,

2001 -7th place. This year I was granted with an american green card based, as per their description:

2002 -5th place, 2003 -7th place, 2004 -12th place, 2005 -9th place,

2006 -5th place. This year, I became an American Citizen.

2007- I WON !!!!!!!! I WAS THE CHOLOS PIPELINE WOMEN CHAMPION !!

After 18 years competing at Pipeline, I was finally a"Pipeline Master".

The final against young guns Natasha Sagardia, Aoi Koike and Daniela Freitas

had one of the highest scores ever in the history of the event.

2008- 3rd place and laughing.

2009- 5th place and

2010- 9th place (tiny surf).

I am ready for 2011...

I look back at all those years and

wonder if our sport have had the right support and sponsors, where would I be today?

I know the answer :

HERE and ready to do another 20 years of PURE LOVE !!

Mahalo for my sponsors: Sik Chix (http://www.rusik.net) and www.alohagiftsfromhawaii.com.