Journey of a Waterwoman: the Valley Isle’s  Tiare Lawrence
By Chelsea Johns

Name: Tiare Lawrence
Birth Date: July 1, 1982
Sponsors: Hinano, C4 Waterman, Honey Girl Swimwear, DaKine and Xcel Wetsuits Hometown: Lahaina, Maui
Home Break: Lahaina Harbor

While we often hail individuals for their ability to excel in one arena, a waterwoman like Tiare Lawrence deserves credit for her skills in stand up paddle surfing, shortboarding, bodyboarding, longboarding, tow-in surfing, and in one-man and six-man canoes. A typical day for Tiare always includes a paddle or a surf, but most likely both. Born to Haunani Teruya and the late John Lawrence, and raised along the west-Maui mountains, Tiare has grown up near the ocean, but didn’t get into surfing until age eleven when she jumped in Lahaina Harbor. Her first craft was a bodyboard and she learned by watching her cousins and the other “harbor rats.” “Yup, I was a sponger, and I loved it!” she admits.

From her wave riding foundation of bodyboarding, Tiare began to experiment with longboarding and shortboarding and is currently at the forefront of the re-emerging stand up paddle movement. Lawrence, who began stand up paddling four years ago, is a top team rider for C4 Waterman, the industry’s leading stand up paddle surf brand.

The petite Hawaiian, Chinese and Caucasian beauty bounces between O‘ahu and Maui on a regular basis, keeping Maui as her home base to be near family and paddling for the Hawaiian Canoe Club. But when the waves get good, Lawrence heads over to the big wave action on O‘ahu.

Although she describes herself as non-competitive, Tiare has still found her way into stand up paddle competitions across the island, including the recent QuiksilverEdition Ku Ikaika Challenge, an invite-only competition held at Makaha Point in eight- to fifteen- foot surf, in which Tiare was the only female invitee. “I felt truly honored to be the only girl invited. Thanks to C4, I was chosen to be one of the riders representing the company. Truly a blessing,” gushes Tiare.
 
Like Aunty Rell (Sunn), whom Tiare cites as one of her inspirations, Tiare frequently competes against her male counterparts. “I like going against the guys. I actually prefer it,” remarks Tiare. “If I can beat two to three guys it's more rewarding to me. Guys are hard to beat and they hate losing to a girl. I won't mention names, but they know who they are,” she laughs.

Although Tiare doesn’t want to get burnt out on the contest scene, she does reap enjoyment from making her mentors proud. “Dave Parmenter told me ‘I'm proud of you, T’ after the Ku Ikaika event,” she recalls. “That in itself was inspiration to me. It makes me look forward to the next time he has something [positive] to say.”

Tiare receives training right from the source, as SUP enthusiasts and innovators Dave Parmenter and Brian Keaulana are not only her unofficial coaches, but substitute as a second-family. Dave also shapes Tiare’s boards. “He’s made the best boards I have ever ridden,” Tiare enthusiastically exclaims.

Besides showing her the ropes, Dave and Brian serve as the inspiration and driving force behind her stand up paddle accomplishments. “Brian Keaulana kept me inspired by taking different aspects of surfing to a new level,” says Tiare. “Whether it's on a stand up board, bullyboard, foil or longboard, he set the standard for me and gave me a visual of what to look forward to.”

And now Tiare is setting a standard of her own and being acknowledged as a top notch female surfer, not afraid to charge the surf when its double or even triple overhead. Though Tiare might be the most recognizable female stand up paddle surfer in the lineup right now, there’s a crop of hot wahine stepping it up in the surf with her. “Visha Bungo is an unreal longboarder!” remarks Tiare. “She’s taking up the [SUP] sport and ripping too.” Nalehu Pu‘u and Ha‘a Keaulana are other up-and-coming females from Makaha that Tiare warns us to keep an eye on.

Though Tiare uses her athleticism and build to conquer the SUP arena, she has gained grace, flexibility, and strength through diverse training in hula and in her participation in the Hawaiian performance “Ulalena.” For her role as the mo’o (lizard) in the energetic theatrical performance, Tiare was sent to a circus school in Montreal, Canada. “It was three months of blood, sweat, and tears—hard core training,” recalls Tiare. “It definitely helped my flexibility and strength in surfing.” Tiare has also been an avid hula dancer since the age of four.  “I love being able to express stories through hula,” says Lawrence, whose name tells a story in itself. Her first name, Tiare, is the lovely Tahitian gardenia, and her middle name, Mahinanapuaku‘ulani, means beautiful flower of the moon, because she was born on a full moon. “[If I couldn’t surf] I’d dance hula or something that deals with the Hawaiian culture,” she adds.

Tiare doesn’t have any set plans for the years ahead, though her big wave feats in stand up paddle surfing are taking her on a promising path. Besides making a career of surfing, following in the footsteps of close friend and fellow Makaha regular Melanie Bartels, Tiare hopes to “charge big, travel and surf spots around the world, and hopefully inspire other girls.” And from the looks of it, Tiare’s is already realizing her goals.