Aimee Brown is one of Auckland’s top young surfers and hails from Great Barrier Island. Aimee started popping up at junior events around the country several years ago, travelling to each event from boarding school in Auckland. As she details below, her love of surfing, support from the International Surfing Association and being accepted into the Raglan Surf Academy have all helped her achieve big milestones and strengthen her passion for surfing.
SNZ: What year did you receive the ISA Scholarship?
AB: I received the ISA scholarship in 2015
SNZ: How did the scholarship help you with your surfing?
AB: The ISA scholarship helped me so much with my surfing. By receiving the scholarship meant that the money really helped me with travel costs and accommodation so that I could enter more comps. I also was able to buy a new surfboard which helped me progress a lot.
SNZ: What have you been doing since your scholarship?
AB: In the same year I received the scholarship I travelled to Indonesia with my family and spent 5 months surfing some of the best waves in the world! I got accepted into Raglan Surfing Academy where I surf every day to improve my surfing as much as possible and I’ve just been loving life, surfing heaps and competing. The ISA scholarship really jump started my love for competing and surfing heaps.
SNZ: Give us a rundown of your results over this summer
AB: I’ve had a few mixed results this summer, bowing out early in the first two comps of the summer but then I won my first ever national comp at Whangamata and backed that up with a 3rd at Piha.
SNZ: What do you attribute your recent good form to?
AB: Spending heaps of time in the water surfing and getting coached and trained by Larry Fisher and Deane Hishon at the academy. And just frothing!
SNZ: What would you say to any aspiring young surfers that are thinking of applying for the scholarship?
AB: I would say to definitely apply for the ISA scholarship if your love for surfing is huge and you need a little financial help to get you to comps or just to help you get new gears! The ISA scholarship helped me so much and I’m so thankful for being one of the few recipients and what it’s done for my surfing!
Aimee Brown was the last New Zealand surfer to receive an ISA Scholarship. Thinking about applying? Check out all the information on the ISA website. Applications close May 31.