MEET THE ROOKIE: Anat Lelior – HISTORIC qualification as the first Israeli on the CT, Rookie year goals, Growing up in Tel Aviv, Surf’s Up inspiring her towards professional surfing, Kelly Slater presenting her with her jersey, & More

About this episode

Anat Lelior discusses her historic qualification as the first Israeli on the Championship Tour and her journey in professional surfing.

Anat Lelior joins Joe Turpel on MEET THE ROOKIE after making history as the first Israeli to qualify for the Championship Tour. Raised in Tel Aviv and learning to surf in the inconsistent beach breaks of the Mediterranean, Anat shares how passion and persistence carried her from limited competitive opportunities to surfing alongside the world’s best. She reflects on her emotional qualification moment, the support from fellow competitors, and what it means to represent Israel at the highest level of professional surfing. Anat also discusses growing up surfing with her sister, competing internationally for the first time in France, and building her career despite injuries and limited resources. From Olympic experience to Pipeline finals, she explains how those moments shaped her confidence heading into her rookie season. She breaks down her preparation for Bells Beach, traveling on tour, working with her coaching team, dialing in boards with Tico & Teco on Silver Surfboards, and adjusting to the new head-to-head heat format. Plus, Anat shares the meaning behind her jersey number 29 and her goals for Tahiti, Pipeline, and beyond. Learn more about Anat and follow her here. Follow Joe…

People in this episode

Host: Joe Turpel

Guest: Anat Lelior

Topics covered

• surfing
• rookie experience
• professional surfing
• Israel representation
• competitive surfing
• personal journey
• surf culture

Keywords

• Anat Lelior
• Championship Tour
• surfing
• Tel Aviv
• Kelly Slater
• competitive surfing
• rookie goals
• surf culture
• Silver Surfboards
• Olympic experience

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Silver Surfboards

Places: Israel, Tel Aviv, France

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