Lilly Issberner - Junior Athlete Ambassador

Have you always been into sport?

Yes, I love sport. My favourites are: surfing, running, basketball.

How did you first get into surfing?

When I was 11 years old, me and my family went camping in Devon. My dad has been into surfing since we moved down to Cornwall 6 years ago. So he brought his surfboard camping with us and I caught my first wave on it and rode it straight to the sand. After that, I knew that I loved it!

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What is your proudest achievement?

I’ve come so far in such a short space of time, so I’m most proud of my progression. I am working really hard on my surfing and my training/fitness and it is really helping me get where I want to be. After such a rubbish year last year with Covid and lockdowns, I’m excited to see what this year holds for me.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

In Cornwall we have a lot of seals, that are very inquisitive. I was surfing at my local beach and there was quite a few people out the back, the session had gone quite well for me, I was pleased with what I had achieved. I was about to catch my last wave in and suddenly, right in front of me (1 metre ish away) a massive seal popped its head out of the water and starred at me and breathed out through its nose. I was close enough to see its whiskers. At that point I freaked out and paddled towards the beach and caught the next wave in on my stomach. I was scared that the seal would chase me in, but it didn’t. When I got back home I explained what had happened to my mum and she said, “We need to get over this if you want to be a surfer!” So the following week, we went to The Cornish Seal Sanctuary. Whilst we were there, I was able to get comfortable around them and understand that the seals are inquisitive of humans and that’s why they often come close but are scared once they realise what we are. Thank you to The Cornish Seal Sanctuary, I have now over come my fear of seals and don’t want to paddle out as fast as possible whenever I see them.

How do you overcome setbacks?

This is something I struggle with. Whenever I have a setback I always turn to the positive people around me.

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

In surfing, things are not going to be easy so its really important to focus on setting yourself goals and making sure you are focused on achieving what you set yourself. Sometime its easy to lose focus as life often takes over, but with some discipline and dedication you will get to where you want to be.

What are your goals?

My goals are to become a professional surfer and travel around the world.

Who inspires you?

The people that inspire me are: Tehillah McGuinness, Bethany Hamilton, Alana Blanchard, Tassy Swallow, Sage Erickson, Leah Thompson and my parents.

Why work with Sundried?

I believe in Sundried’s ethos and its really important to me to do all I can to help look after the planet so that more generations can enjoy it. I am so proud to be working with a brand that offers products made from 100% recycled plastic, another range which is made from 100% recycled coffee grounds and other products which are made from their pioneering biodegradable fabric. I am very passionate about saving our oceans and freeing them from all plastic and waste, so I am happy to be a part of a brand which has the same views as me.

To hear more from our ambassadors and get free tips on workout plans and more, connect with the Sundried Personal Trainers on our app.