This Is Your Invitation To Quit Competitive Surfing And Live on a Farm

Photos by Yentl Touboul

Zarautz is a small beach town kept close to the Spanish Basque Country. It’s remote, but bustling with life. Buried in the rolling landscape lives Ainara Aymat. Once a competitive surfer, Ainara now spends her time in a more tranquil fashion. She hikes with her dogs, looks after a garden, and studies biomechanics (ok, that last one isn’t so mellow).

It’s pretty common for competitive surfers to ditch the jersey and find something more purposeful. It strips surfing down to its core— no scores and less pressure, just pure enjoyment for the trade. 

From an outside perspective, it’s my favorite thing to watch. Some of the world’s most talented surfers have kicked the contest scene to the side and sparked flames in brighter directions. Could you imagine if Kerrzy still succumbed to the restrictions of a jersey and a thruster? We’d be missing out on stuff like this.

While Ainara has opted for a more reclined lifestyle in the Basque Country, the years of hard work still puncture her surfing’s exterior. The folks over at Wasted Talent Mag and Vans did a great job capturing all aspects of Ainara’s life in their latest short film, “County Lines,” which you can watch here.