From Copenhagen to Reykjavík: how arctic surfing (and a sandwich-snatching eagle) shaped Freia’s passion for boardsports

👋 Hey, I’m Freia

I am 25 years old, and currently, I live in Reykjavík, Iceland. A key reason for moving here was the arctic surf possibilities.

🌊 How it all started

Growing up in Copenhagen, Denmark surfing was not exactly very accessible. On a family vacation in Japan at 14 years old, we were driving along the coastline. I saw a surf shop and convinced my mum to get a lesson. Despite not understanding a word the Japanese instructor said, I recall thinking to myself that the surf lesson was among the most joyful experiences I’d ever had.

🦅 Memories of my first surf session

Looking back at my first surf session back in Japan, it feels almost surreal. I recall being tired afterwards, walking along this beautiful beach surrounded by mountains eating a sandwich—then an eagle came and snatched it right out of my hands. The whole experience gave me a sense of adventure which I’ve found to be part of what I love about surf trips.

🌎 Surfing and life decisions

Since then, I’ve gone surfing whenever I have the chance, and my love for the sport has influenced many decisions. For instance, I went on exchange in Australia and currently work in Iceland, and it is no coincidence that both places are great for surfing. I almost always go with friends, and I absolutely love spending a weekend driving somewhere to camp and surf with them.

The most challenging part of surfing for me has probably been in terms of finding the balance when it comes to how much risk you take. I’ve definitely found myself in a sticky situation or two, despite having a great respect for the ocean and trying to act responsibly.

 🛹 Women in boardsports

Maybe more so in snowboarding and skateboarding, which I started doing to improve my surfing, I have at times found it to be difficult finding a community of women.

Working in Oslo Skatehall besides my studies, I also saw a pattern that many girls and women visited us to try the sport, loved it, but rarely became regulars. It made me reflect over the obstacles related to being a female in boardsports. I made my first documentary film on the topic, as I wanted to investigate the topic further.

🎥 My documentary: “New Ideals”

It is funny how one thing leads to the next. My love for surfing and boardsports in general made me realize that there are many women who face the same issues regarding being female in traditionally male-dominated sports. Therefore, I decided to make a documentary film on the issue.

The documentary is called “New Ideals”, and one of my key takeaways after interviewing various female boardriders, was that we more or less consciously try to achieve ideals that originate from a male-dominated sports environment.

Either if you’re a beginner, a competitive athlete or trying to surf professionally, I’ve found that women face some obstacles that males do not when embarking on these sports.

 💬 Speaking up has consequences

Furthermore, speaking up about the gender gap in surfing does not come without its costs. Lucy Small, an Australian surfer, journalist and activist, has faced consequences after addressing gender inequality in surf comps.

Multiple of the women I interviewed in relation to the film told me that speaking up could make it difficult to succeed in the sport—for instance, it could make it (even more) difficult to land sponsor deals.

Hence, one of my biggest takeaways from creating the film was that large actors in the surf industry must ask themselves how they can make the sport more inclusive and equal—and how to ensure that speaking up about injustice won’t lead to consequences.

You can see the film (under 15 minutes!) with English subtitles for free  👉 here

I also recommend checking out Lucy Small and Kate Allman’s campaign “Equal Pay for Equal Play”  👉 here

📍My favorite surf spot & board

My favorite surf spot has to be Hoddevika in Norway. It’s the perfect place to go on a surf trip with friends, with its beautiful landscapes and (potentially) great waves. Simultaneously, it is a very chill and beginner-friendly surf spot.

I have a 6’7 ft board from Frost Surfboards, which was shaped in Lofoten in Norway. I really love the board, it is perfect for the type of conditions I prefer.

While I do have goals regarding my surfing, such as improving my technique and reading waves, it is also important for me to let surfing be an arena where it is not all about performing. At times, I have to remind myself that surfing is something I do purely for the joy it brings me.

You can catch me at @freiacatana