LW Mag LW Magazine
Related Articles
Currently competing in the Billabong Junior Series event in Ballito Durban, Crystal Hulett is a strong and polished surfer with a big match temperament, and a healthy desire to win all the events she enters into. With a healthy outlook to life and good surfboards underfoot, Crystal is always a force to be reckoned with in South African junior surfing.
Hailing from St Francis Bay, Crystal grew up surfing the perfect right-hand point-breaks of Seal Point, Jeffreys Bay and the rare Bruces Beauties. She even ventured out at her namesake break Hulett’s Reef, named after her grandfather Leighton Hulett, as she transformed into one of our best female surfers.
Crystal has risen through the ranks after years of hard-core training, endless sessions on the point breaks, as well as extensive travels to all the various waves and contests in South Africa. She is adept in Cape Town, Durban, East London and anywhere else the surfing world takes her. She is also well traveled internationally, surfing many famous breaks around the world.
While her main focus is shortboarding and the shortboarding events, she is just as talented at surfing longboards, and is the current U18 Girls Longboard South African Champion, having competed in the SA Longboard Champs that were held in Mossel Bay recently.
Crystal has been coached by the legendary Graeme Hynes over the years, and his hard-earned surfing and coaching experience has also benefitted the natural-footed surfer in her quest to be a better surfer and competitor.
Crystal is no stranger to the podium either, and in the Billabong Junior Series event held at Seal Point in 2014, she totally dominated the proceedings and managed to win two divisions as well as a few specialty prizes along the way.
One of the advantages of growing up in the Eastern Cape means that you get to surf rocky point-break waves like Seal Point and Bruces, as well as punchy beachbreaks like Anne Avenue and Seal Point beach. It’s possible to get a very wide experience base in this area, as well as overcome any fears you might have with regards to surfing points and reefs. Crystal has turned into a well-balanced surfer who thrives in all conditions, and she is set to be one of our future stars in South African female surfing.
Crystal is still to surf the Ballito Pro presented by Billabong, and could do well in the right-handers of Willard Beach in Ballito. For her full World Surf League profile click here.
Photos bu Luke Patterson
