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Pics by: Brendon Newton, Lilly, Sam Venn and Jay McGuire

Lilly Pollard, a name synonymous with passion, perseverance, and pioneering spirit in the world of bodyboarding. Known for her ability to charge waves but she humbly describes herself as "surf and nature obsessed." This obsession was crystal clear when she had a recent surf session with a pod of dolphins, a moment she describes as almost dying of happiness. “On a deeper level, I guess I’d say I’m a curious, quirky, and passionate individual,” she adds.

Lilly's journey into bodyboarding began with a poignant family shift. After the passing of her father, her family moved from Sydney to The Central Coast. Despite excelling in academics and dabbling in sports like basketball and tennis, Lilly's true calling emerged thanks to her older brother, Jono. "One day he said, ‘I’m gonna make you a surfie chick!’” she recalls. With Jono’s encouragement and the aspiration to become the next Vicky Gleeson, Lilly picked up a fluorescent wetsuit, diving flippers, and borrowed a Mach 10 boogie board. Her love affair with bodyboarding began at 15.

Walking to Shelly Beach with her giant board, Lilly often faced ridicule but remained undeterred. "I just loved it too much to care. I would go surf my guts out all day every day I could," she says. The ocean’s therapeutic allure captivated her, and her dedication paid off with numerous competitive successes, including winning the Pipeline Pro Hawaii titles twice and major world tour events in Puerto Rico and the Canary Islands.

Lilly’s invitation to the Shark Island Challenge (SIC) marks a significant milestone not just for her, but for women in bodyboarding. While not the first woman to compete (Kira Llewellyn holds that honour), Lilly feels the weight of representing women everywhere.

“I am so incredibly honoured and so amped to be invited to SIC this year,” she says, “I feel like in all my years riding waves that the weight of representing women everywhere is a big driver in me going for broke all the time.”

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