Hey Alys! So tell us a little about yourself.
Hey! My name is Alys Barton. I grew up in a small area called the Gower in Swansea, (Wales, United Kingdom). I’m sooo lucky to live in such an awesome area which is close to the beach.
When did you start surfing?
I started surfing when I just turned 13 and fell in love with it. I have literally been surfing for the last 5 years whenever possible! I just really enjoy the challenge of constantly pushing myself to get better.
Nice, in true Soul Surfer fashion your surf career is driven on passion for the sport! How is competition going for you?
I love competing! Whether it’s with my brother at home or in organised events. One of my most recent achievements has been claiming second place at the QS event in Pantin, which puts me second on the European QS women’s ranking. As well as this I have competed at the European junior surfing championships and came first making me European junior surfing champion 2022.
WOW that’s huge! Congratulations! Any advice for women looking to get into the sport competitively?
Before surfing I did a lot of gymnastics , dance and I was really into music. I actually played the clarinet and I was grade 8 ! However I feel of the gymnastics really contributed to my surfing progressing quickly. Having the core strength and overall body flexibility to have manoeuvrability on a surfboard has helped me so much! I would say focus on this and spending as much time in the water as possible.
How do you utilise Dawn Patrol in your surf experience?
I really love using the Dawn Patrol app as it allows me to make my training super specific and helps me progress even quicker. I can also really break down my surf sessions with my coach, how many waves I caught, speed on the waves etc. I have allows used Dawn Patrol to help me practice heat training. Being super critical on my performance in 20/30 minutes and how many waves I’ve caught, the speed and my best waves. This paired with coaching footage has been hugely helpful!
Thanks for the chat Alys, we are stoked to have you on the Dawn Patrol Pro Team! Good luck in your next competition!