Cata pilar Soto
This week we are back in Australia catching up with a young driven female Chilean, who although currently living the Australian dream would like nothing more than to allow her passion to take her surfing all around the world.
Although not competing very much just now, would love to add more contests stats to her budding career.
May I introduce Cata.....
"My name is catalina Pilar Soto Montecinos, im 22 years old and i was born in Iquique, Chile.
I’m Currently on the gold coast in Australia where I have been living for almost 2 years.
I’ve been bodyboarding since i was 16 years old in Iquique, which is known for its beautiful natural beaches and amazing waves.
From when I was a child I have loved the sea, I always felt a special connection with it.
Me and my family used to go to the Bella Vista Beach very often and I always admired people I saw with boogy boards and surfboards, I knew that it was something I wanted to do one day, it was my dream to learn how to surf and be good at it.
When I turned 15 I started to surf with a surfboard but after a year i realised that I would love to try and bodyboard, so I decided to go for it, I invested all my savings to buy all the bodyboard equipment I needed and from that moment on, nobody could stop me, I fell in love with the sport.
My childhood heroes were Mitch Rawlins, Dave Winchester and Isabela Sousa I loved their style.
My local break was Called Punta 1 in my hometown,
my favorite break in my country is Mauro and Punta 2 both in my city.
In the world at the moment my favourite breaks are Dbah on the gold coast of Australia, it is beach break, perfect with warm water and Mauro in my hometown.
In August I’m traveling to Bali, Indonesia and im so excited to ride those waves !!, I would love to also surf puerto escondido in Mexico, which is my next destination for sure hahah
My first Bodyboard was a milkshake pink, I started going bodyboarding with my friends Valentina Hurtado and Isadora Valdes, this was my crew.
Still today we surf together with other friends like Carla Leon, maria jose pulgar and Naim bustorf.
We have a group that is called Unitedgirlsbodyboarding, we help each other to take photos and videos for each other.
I started to compete when I was 17 years old, it was nice for me, the more I competed the more I wanted to improve my technique and I began to create a style of my own.
I competed in some competitions for the national tour, I’ve not been able to complete the whole tour because of money issues and in Chile it was too hard to get sponsored, especially for women.
I participated in some competitions in my city as well, one in ilo Peru ¨binational 2015¨ (having the 3rd Place and two in Punta Dos getting the 1st and 3rd place.
When I was 20 years old I had the incredible opportunity to come to Australia and without thinking about it too much I packed my bags and left Chile.
From that moment on, I stopped competing to become just a free rider and after one year I participated in a local competition in Dbah getting the first place.
Next year I would love to surf all local competitions and one for the ABA. Nowadays, I have more goals as Im improving and really working on my bodyboard skills while i travel around the world seeing different beaches, waves and meeting cool people.
I have never been sponsored, I think some years ago I would have loved to because I needed the money and really wanted to do the national circuit and compete.
I’m persistent, courageous, I love this and I give my everything for what I want, currently I’m living the aussie life, I surf almost everyday.
My bodyboard is pride, fins stealth and agent wetsuit, most of the times I use these brands because I like them.
I haven’t found any particular brand but I would love to try bodyboarding brands that do women's clothes, I haven’t seen a lot for the women.
I have one playlist just for bodyboarding with upbeat music, most of them I took from bodyboarding videos.
I always listen to one song, it is ¨the look¨, Metronomy, that one is my song with my friends in Chile hhaha a very special one for me and sometimes i listen to latin music like salsa, brazilian music and reggae.
Thank you LidLife for catching up with me and continuing to spread our stories........"
Photo credits include :
Ryan Parsons
Craig Bessant
premanandr2017
Pasa trae company
Feredica Schiaroli
Next week we are super excited and privileged to run a little feature of Editor in chief of Movement Magazine, Ben Player.
3 x world champion and featuring in classic Bodyboard movies such as far north and inspiring generations both in innovation and style since before any of us here at LidLife Bodyboarding can remember.
Until next week yewwwwwww......
VAN LIFE PRODUCTIONS