SI LifeStyle

We’re Obsessed With These Surfing Photos of Professional Athlete and SI Swimsuit Model Malia Manuel

The surfer was photographed in Turks and Caicos for the 2020 issue.

Ananya Panchal

Malia Manuel.

Malia Manuel.

Malia Manuel just posted the most stunning duo of high-definition surfing pics. The 2020 SI Swimsuit model, who was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos for her magazine feature, was the youngest surfer to ever win the U.S. Open of Surfing at 14 in 2008.

“missing Australia already 🇦🇺🏄‍♀️,” she captioned the carousel she shared with her 252,000 followers on June 29. In the first snapshot, Manuel was captured up close riding a wave. In the next, she gracefully walked on a wet shore holding her surfboard.

The 29-year-old tagged photographer Morgan Maassen and brands Sun Bum, Abysse, DHD and Lululemon.

“Power ladyyyy 👏,” Alicia Agneson commented.

“This sport is something I’ve been doing my entire life, but it’s still so surreal that I get to do what I love professionally. I feel like I’ve already achieved so much, and I still have a long way to go,” Manuel said about surfing in a 2018 Forbes interview. “I’m really passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and taking care of my body. I’m an avid yoga student, learning new things every day, and I love to run.”

Manuel is cofounder of the sclpt co, an eco-friendly apparel and workout accessories company.

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.

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