Okay, confession time. For two whole weeks this July, I did not touch a single snowflake. No halfpipe, no goggles, no frozen toes. I traded my snowboard for a surfboard, flew home to Bali, and spent every morning at Halfway Kuta. And before you ask: no, I did not go halfway. I went all the way in. Repeatedly. Mostly head first.
But this trip came with a very special plus-one. A brand-new, hand-shaped, custom-made surfboard. Made just for me. By a legend. And yes, bestie, it's pink. Did you honestly expect anything else?
Why Halfway Kuta Is My Happy Place
If you've followed my journal for a while, you know I already did a Kuta surf trip last summer. This year I went back to the stretch locals call Halfway, the bit of beach between Kuta and Legian.
Here's why I love it:
- The water is basically a warm bath. After a winter in Laax, this felt illegal.
- The waves are fun, not scary. Shifting sandbars, peaks all along the beach, and enough push to actually practise turns.
- July is dry season. That means sunny days and lots of smooth early mornings before the wind wakes up.
- Food is never more than ten steps away. Post-surf nasi goreng is a core part of my training plan. Don't question it.
My routine was simple: wake up stupidly early, paddle out while the sea was still glassy, surf until my arms turned into noodles, eat, nap, repeat. Honestly? Peak athlete lifestyle.
Meet Mike Woo, the Man Behind My Board
Now for the main character of this story (sorry, me). My new board was shaped by Mike Woo of Woo Surfboards, and if that name doesn't ring a bell yet, it should.
Mike grew up in Pālolo Valley on O'ahu, Hawaii. He surfed Ala Moana Bowls as a kid and chased North Shore winter swells alongside names like Shane Dorian and Kelly Slater. He started shaping in the late '80s, travelled to Japan to shape and compete, then visited Bali and simply... never left. Relatable, honestly. He's been designing and building boards here ever since. (Firewire tells the full story here.)
Oh, and casually: Mike is the shaper behind two of Kelly Slater's designs for Firewire, the Great White Twin (inspired by the outline of an actual great white shark, because why not) and the Spaceship, which Kelly debuted at Kirra in 2024. The Inertia even called him one of surfing's under-the-radar artists.
So, to summarise: the man who makes boards for an 11-time world champion made one for me. I am being very calm about this. Extremely calm. (I screamed.)
Custom, Hand-Made and Very, Very Pink
This isn't a board grabbed off a rack. Mike shaped it especially for me, thinking about my size, my weight and how I surf. Every curve came off his hands, not out of a factory.
When Mike asked me what colour I wanted, I didn't even have to think. "Pink, of course!" It matches my whole ROXY girl vibe, from my snowboard jacket to my swimsuit. Kelly Slater gets a Spaceship. I get the pink one. I think we both won.
The first session on it was a whole vibe. It felt light and quick under my feet, and catching waves felt easier than on my old board. My turns felt smoother too, though my wipeouts remained 100% my own work. The board was not to blame. The board is perfect. Leave the board alone.
By the end of the two weeks I was linking turns, riding longer waves and getting more confident on the bigger sets. It's amazing how much a board that's actually made for you changes everything.
Suited Up in ROXY, From Snow to Surf
You know ROXY as my snowboard sponsor (if you missed the big news, here's the story of how I became a ROXY team rider). But here's the fun part: ROXY was born in the surf, so my gear swapped seasons as easily as I did.
In the water I wore my ROXY wetsuit for the early sessions and on days when I wanted a bit of rash protection, and my ROXY swimwear for the long, hot ones. It stayed put through wipeouts, turtle rolls and some deeply undignified paddle-outs. That's the real test, trust me.
Snowboard jacket in winter, ROXY swimsuit in summer. Same girl, same brand, different kind of wave.
Why a Snowboarder Needs a Surf Break
People always ask why I surf when I'm meant to be training for the halfpipe. Easy answer: surfing is training. It just doesn't feel like it.
- Balance and board feel. Reading a moving wave is great practice for reading a pipe wall.
- Legs and core. Popping up a hundred times a day is a sneaky workout.
- Shoulders and lungs. Paddling is cardio that makes you forget it's cardio.
- Head space. After a tough season with my back injury, the ocean was the reset I needed.
Plus, falling into warm water beats falling onto ice. That's just science.
See You on the Mountain (and in the Water)
So that was my July: two weeks, one beach, one legendary shaper and one very pink board. Huge thank you to Mike Woo for making me something so special, and to ROXY for keeping me looking cute while I fall off it.
Next stop? Swapping board shorts for snow pants and flying down under to shred in Cardrona, New Zealand. Endless summer, meet endless winter. I'm taking salty hair, stronger legs and a brand-new love for the ocean with me. Bali, you have my heart. Again.
Sampai jumpa,
Zazi 🇮🇩🏄♀️
PS. Follow the adventures of Zazi, Snowboard Girl & Indonesian Model, on Instagram: Click Here!
