“We are all unique. We are all beautiful. We have our own stories, backgrounds, personalities, quirks, vulnerabilities, we are more than our Shape." - Laura Enever
Curves on a woman’s body are beautiful, just like the curves on a surfboard. Introducing Shapes, a four part series featuring four amazing, strong and unique women, and the shapes that allow them to do what they love.
We caught up with team rider, Laura Enever, and her shaper Dylan Longbottom from Dylan Surfboards, to discuss all things surfing and body positivity.
Dive into our convo with Laura:
How would you describe your body type?
Sleek and Powerful
Favorite Billabong swim top silhouette & why?
My go to bikini top would be the Tri. For me the Tri tops are a perfect combination of flattering fit, comfortable to wear & most importantly functional to surf in.
Favorite Billabong swim bottom silhouette & why?
For my body type I can’t go past wearing my Maui Rider high-waisted bottoms! I always feel comfortable and confident in them in & out of the water. I love the cheeky, snug fit!
Favorite surfboard shape?
Riding different board shapes always re-energizes my surfing & the way I approach riding waves. Every day is always new & different in the ocean and playing around on different shapes/designs adds to the fun & creativity of surfing.
At the moment, my favourite board is my step-up 5’9” It’s a bit longer than my standard shortboard so holds in well on bigger & more powerful waves. It’s amazing for barrel riding but also fits perfectly in the pocket and goes very fast.
Preferred fin set-up (quad, tri, single, etc)?
Thruster!
Favorite type of wave (crumbly, big, fast, etc)?
For me there is nothing like riding big powerful waves. I love the challenge and there is no better feeling.
How do you sum up your style in 1-2 sentences?
I would say my style is unpredictable, daring, fast & fun!
Why is being unique & having your own style important to you?
To me style is all about expression and creativity, it is beautifully unique to us all. Style is forever changing, growing & evolving as we do throughout life. I feel so lucky to be able to bring my style to life in more ways than one. Expressing ourselves through riding waves & connecting with nature is truly magical!
Get to know Laura's shaper, Dylan Longbottom from Dylan Surfboards:
Where are you located?
I am based in Cronulla, Australia and also have bases in Bali, Portugal and Peru.
How did you get started shaping boards?
I started shaping my own boards 23 years ago as an experiment and loved the process and my first board was so good. My father was also a glasser for over 30 years so I was brought up in factories.
Tell us a little about the process! How long does it take to make a board start to finish?
It's quite a long process making surfboards from start to finish as there is a lot of labour. from designing to shaping then routing fin plugs to spraying them laminating and glassing the boards to sanding and finishing, always allow us plenty of time!
What’s the best part about seeing someone surf on your boards?
The best part is seeing someone’s smile on there face after getting a really good one or hearing someone tell you it’s thee best board ever.
How can we get one?!
The best way to get one is message me @dylanshapes or my website www.dylansurfboards.com
Watch episode 04: