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

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. 

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. 

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. 

Lifers!

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