A Brief Chat With Kelia Moniz, Plus Her New Collaborative Collection - Stab Mag

Just Wrapped: Finals Day! Stab High Japan 2025 Presented By Monster Energy — Re-watch Below

690 Views

A Brief Chat With Kelia Moniz, Plus Her New Collaborative Collection

Noosa, freesurfing, competition, and a new swimwear line. 

style // Mar 31, 2019
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 4 minutes

If you’re surf social media savvy, you probably saw that Kelia Moniz has been lurking around the Queensland coast. She was here for the Noosa longboarding event: the first comp she’s entered in three years. 

Having Kelia in Oz was a good enough excuse to line up a chat. She also just dropped a new swimwear line with Roxy, named Sister, which herself and her ‘lifer’, Hailey Bieber are behind.

Anyway, we’ll save the small talk and cut straight to the interview. 

Stab: How was Noosa and the event? We saw footage, looked like you scored?!

Kelia: Noosa is a dream for a long boarder. It was my first time there and I’m obsessed. Not only did I get fun waves, but I got to watch some inspiring surfing by the locals! I never surfed with that many good long boarders in a while and realised I have my work cut out for me.

What else did you get up to while you were there?

I was honestly like a 12 year old kid again, I surf, ate, and surfed again. I’ve never surfed so much in such a short amount of time since I was a child. It was a little absurd!

What is it that you love most about Australia?

I love pretty much everything about Australia besides sharks. The waves, people, food, parties ugh. I love it. 

ROXY SISTER COLLECTION 4
ROXY SISTER COLLECTION 5

How does it feel to be back in a jersey? What inspired you to return competing?

Never have I been a major comp chick, so I feel a bit funny talking about “being back in a jersey” but shoot it feels good. I really want to win again. I don’t know exactly what triggered me to compete again, but it just happened, one day I decided I was going to do contest (after saying I’ll never do contest again for the last 3 years) and booked Noosa! I think getting a little older and watching my baby brothers kill it made me reconsider what I was doing with my career. Longboarding is what I do so why not make the most of it!

What do you love and what don’t you enjoy about the free-surf lifestyle?

What I love most about free surfing is traveling with my girls around the world to gorgeous beaches and surf.

What I don’t like about free surfing for me personally is I spent the last few years so worried about getting my photo taken. I would enter the water with a plan, and that plan was to “get the shot,” so much so that I forgot how to complete a wave. I didn’t realise how bad it was until I surfed at Noosa and watched how GOOD everyone was. I have a lot to work on, but I’m so motivated and excited. This is me being really honest, I’m probably going to get rousted for this statement but it’s the truth, sue me. 

For a while now you’ve been bumping around with some big names, do you see surfing as a good way to stay grounded?

Wait, you mean names like aunty Megs? Or is it Tammy Moniz? I don’t know if it’s surfing that keeps me grounded or more my family. 

ROXY SISTER COLLECTION
ROXY SISTER COLLECTION 8

Talk me through the range, what’s the inspiration?

The inspiration is the authentic friendship, the sisterhood! Hailey is my real life friend, and so is Bruna Zaun, Monyca Eleogram, Lisa Andersen, Steph Gilmore, Mainei Kinimaka, Vahine Fierro, and all the Roxy girls. These friendships are not a marketing scam, and they are real and what better story to share! 

Tell me about the name Sister, how does that relate to your friendship with Hailey? What’s her involvement? How about yourself?

Friends are one thing but sisters are lifers! She’s my lifer! I’d like to take credit for the name Sister given that it basically is my first name, (everyone calls me Sis) no one really calls me Kelia (besides my husband). The name Sister defines mine and Hailey’s friendship pretty damn well. 

The imagery we have looks delightful, where was it shot? Tell me about the shoot.

It was all shot on the north shore! My husband shot the campaign and honestly it was the easiest shoot ever. Besides having a little fear of working with a real life super model, it was so fun. 

Do you have a favourite item from the range?

I love the silver bikinis! Both the two piece and one piece. They have perfect coverage (I’m so sick of Brazilian bottoms that’s a whole other topic of convo) flattering and classy! 

Is Hailey into surfing?

Well, I failed her by trying to take her surfing for the first time behind my wake surf boat on a cold Montauk day. I thought it would be fun (which it was) but it was not how I should have introduced her to surfing, oops. Hailey wants to try again in real waves and warmer water, fortunately she hasn’t written off surfing for ever!

What’s coming up for you this year?

Everything!! I want to do all the things this year. Mainly surf, Like I said, I have my work cut out for me, so the ocean is going to be where you’ll find me spending most my time this year. 

ROXY SISTER COLLECTION 31

Lifers!

If you want to buy one for yourself, or your significant other, head here for Roxy’s site.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Aquatic Outlaws: How Surfing’s Wild West Was Won

Before the Margaret River Pro, there were a few rogue men from Perth.

May 27, 2025

Vale Jack McCoy: The Pillar Of Surf Cinema Passes On At 76

The creator of Blue Horizon, The Occumentary, the Billabong Challenge and more goes out swinging.

May 27, 2025

2025 Belongs To Power Surfing

Jordy Smith notches first multi-win season of his career + Gabriela Bryan overpowers Caity Simmers.

May 27, 2025

Jordy Smith Is The Number 1 Surfer In The World

Yes, in 2025. A Margaret River Pro day 4 report.

May 26, 2025

This Is Why We Do It — Stab High Japan x Monster Energy 2025, Dissected

Hughie Vaughan, Mikey Wright, Sierra Kerr, Loci Cullen, and Eden Walla are your 2025 Japanese…

May 25, 2025

Watch: Finals Day Highlights From Stab High Japan Presented By Monster Energy

Episode Three of Poolside hosted by Kona Big Wave.

May 25, 2025

Re-Watch — Finals Day At Stab High Japan 2025 Presented By Monster Energy

$50,000 in prize money and the biggest chlorinated ramp to ever host a contest. 

May 24, 2025

Watch: Day One Highlights From Stab High Japan Presented By Monster Energy

Episode Two of Poolside hosted by Kona Big Wave.

May 24, 2025

Mikey Wright “Puts The Roof Straight On”, Traps 25 Souls Inside A Japanese Aerial Inferno

A (semi) objective Day 1 report of Stab High Japan 2025 x Monster Energy

May 24, 2025

Watch The Replay — Day One Of Stab High Japan Presented By Monster Energy

Watch the Opening Round of the Open Men's, Ladybirds, and Bottle Rockets.

May 23, 2025

Watch Julian Wilson, Harry Bryant, Mikey Wright, And More Warm-Up For Stab High Japan Presented By Monster Energy

Episode One of Poolside, brought to you by Kona Big Wave.

May 23, 2025

Matt Meola On Archery, Not Surfing, And Why He Doesn’t Regret Sacrificing $15k At Last Year’s Aerial Altar

"It was for the good of surfing."

May 23, 2025

Watch: New Occy Just Dropped

Cloudbreak, Bells, and an ageless approach from the '99 World Champ.

May 22, 2025

Who’s Going To Win Stab High Japan Presented By Monster Energy?

Yago Dora, Luke Cederman, Coco Ho, Kaipo Guerrero, Curren Caples, Liam O’Brien, and more share…

May 22, 2025

Molly Picklum On Aisle Seat Warfare, Beating The Red-Eye + Not Melting Down In Transit

The Australian Queen of Sunset’s guide to travel, courtesy of Creatures.

May 21, 2025

We Got What We Asked For — Did The Box Deliver?

And why some CT women were pissed they didn't run.

May 21, 2025

Toby Cregan Drops Another Cult Classic — Rage 5

Five self-funded films in 10 years? That’s Quik-level execution on the Vonzipper budget.

May 21, 2025

Robbo, Italo, Yago, Filipe & Ethan Ewing Fall In Glorious West Australian Blood Bath

"Do we not watch pro surfing to live this vicariously?"

May 20, 2025
Advertisement