Layne Beachley

World Champion Surfer and Entrepreneur

Layne Beachley is the most successful female surfer of all time. She holds the greatest number of consecutive world titles – male or female - and achieved the title of ASP Women’s World Champion seven times over. In deed, there’s no doubt that Layne is one of Australia’s greatest athletes!

Layne Beachley is also an entrepreneur and inspiration to young women across the country. She has launched her own brand of athletic clothing for women, Beachley Athletic, and in 2006 staged the richest event in women’s surfing history: the Havianas Beachley Classic at Manly Beach, Sydney. A huge success, the event gained support of the NSW Government for a further two years.

In 2003, Layne created the Aim for the Stars Foundation to help young women across Australia realize their dreams in fields as diverse as academia, sport, the arts and culture.

The constant in all of Layne Beachley’s achievements, is her conviction that there are no boundaries when it comes to realizing one’s potential. And she should know. Having been adopted out as a baby by her seventeen year old mother, Layne lost her adoptive mother when she was just six.

At the age of seven, discovering she had been adopted, Layne decided she was going to prove her worth by being the best in the world at something – and it wasn’t long before that something became surfing.

As a 16 year old, Layne made her debut on the ASP Womens’ World Tour and by the time she was 20, she was ranked Number six in the world. She them embarked upon a physical training program that set her apart from every other woman pro of the last two decades.

Although she won her first event in 1993, Layne’s fierce commitment to success came at a price. In 1993 and 1996, she faced the mental, physical and emotional challenges of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which led to depression. The mental toughness required to overcome such adversity became the foundation for achieving the goal she set herself at the age of seven – to become a world champion.

By 1998, Layne’s determination and focus had paid off and she achieved the first of six consecutive world titles. She won her seventh world title in 2006. A rare feat in any sport, Layne’s domination of women’s surfing has earned her a place in sporting history.

Layne Beachley has been inducted into the US and Australian Surfing Halls of Fame (2006) and recognised in the In addition to winning the ASP Womens’ World Champion titles seven times, her incredible achievements include Extreme Female Athlete of the Year (2005), Laureus World Alternate Sports Person of the Year (2004), Australian Female Athlete of the Year (2003), NSW Sports Star of the Year ('00, '02, '03), a listing in the Australia's 50 Most Beautiful Exports Honors list, Surfer Magazine Female Surfer of the Year ('03, '04) and an ASM-Australian Sports Medal (2000).

Entertaining, down to earth and highly intelligent, Layne is regularly sought as speaker who inspires and motivates audiences of all ages.

Never shy, Layne Beachley earned the nickname Queen of Self Promotion from an Australian newspaper sports columnist in response to her incessant efforts to publicize women's surfing. She turns this media savvy to good use as an occasional TV sports reporter and commentator.