Date of Birth: February 5, 1990

Height: 5'4"

Stance: Goofy

Sponsors: Roxy, Up and Riding, HIC, Da Kine, Ratio Fins

Current Residence: Honolulu, Hawaii

Bio Multi-talented Japanese, Hawaiian, Portuguese, Chinese, Irish beauty Kelia Moniz grew up in a surfing family that spends more time in the water than on land. Raised with four brothers and an ex-professional surfer for a father, Kelia (known by friends and family as Sister) definitely knows how to surf with the boys. She proved her merit last year by being the only girl to make it to the semifinals in the noseriding event at the Corona Hawaiian Open.

Growing up on Oahu, Kelia began surfing at the age of five and spent most of her life as a longboarder, recently adding shortboarding to her repeptoire in order to enjoy riding with her brothers. Her family's strong bond and ties to surfing - they own and operate Faith Surf School in Waikiki and all of the children are homeschooled - have been an important influence in her life, both in and out of the water. When asked about her favorite surf memory, Kelia quickly responds, “watching my Dad teach a man with no arms or legs to surf, it was absolutely amazing!”

A born competitor, Kelia began her amateur career amongst her brothers and friends in unofficial contests organized and judged by her father. Recently, Kelia has been boldly competing against top adult pros in contests across the globe, including Europe and California. This past year she has demonstrated her contest prowess on both a longboard and shortboard with a second place finish in the Roxy Jam Honolulu (longboard) and a first place finish at the NSSA High School Nationals (shortboard). The ease with which she competes on both a long and short board makes Kelia a force to watch in the coming years.

A natural star, who loves the camera almost as much as the water, Kelia's upbeat and genuine personality mixed with her poise and style are as impressive as her notable contest results. It was those same qualities that caught the eye of Roxy and landed her the cover of “Surf Girl Roxy,” Roxy's acclaimed photo book documenting the history of women in surfing. Known as the “Princess of Hawaii,” Kelia effortlessly embodies the qualities of a Roxy girl and is sure to be a role model to the next generation of surfer girls.