Aloha Lopez Mexican Hawaian surfer, the best of the two surf worlds

We interviewed Aloha Lopez who is a professional surfer born in the United States, rooted in Hawaii, and is also the daughter of the Mexican surfing legend in Acapulco, Koala López. She is known in Mexico because she has been surfing the waves at Playa Bonfil since she was a child and has accumulated successes in tournaments throughout the republic, especially in Acapulco, Los Cabos and Puerto Escondido. Last year he won second place in the national of Pascuales and today he is looking for a way to the Olympic Games representing Mexico, for which he has decided to come and live in Mexico to learn more about the language and culture. Living and growing surfing the best waves of Hawaii and Mexico could be the dream for many and this has been the life of Aloha, who has also had the opportunity to surf alongside great professional surfers in the perfect waves of Hawaii and Surfing of big waves with jet sky in Hawaii. Here she tells us her dreams and how she has experienced surfing since she was young among these paradises of the world surf.


How do you started surf

I was 4 when I start surfing by myself, it was really fun but we have to move from California for a little and I wasn´t able to surf for four years,  do when I turn 9 we turn back to Hawai can to back into it, but it take a (while) and then I start surfing in  some small little local surf contest in Hawaii and I was about 12, and it was when I take more seriously  surfing every day before school, after school, in between if I can, but it just like keep going into the ocean. That’s how I really start it. After that I´ve been traveling doing   international contest and that keep me just very motivate it. When I found a girl that surf better than me I just trying to be competitive and practice to do it every time better and better, I just want to be better than anyone else, that’s how it is. That thing that drives you.


Who teach you to surf?

My dad was the first who take me, but then my mom help me a lot. When I was younger, when I first learn I was around four it was just my dad most of the time, but then when I was 9 and I start it to surf again it was my mom, then we live in Hawaii, but then I start to come back Mexico every year, and it was my dad, I think it was half and half.


When the first time you came to Acapulco how was your impression?

I basically came here when I was born like right away the firs trip I was take to Acapulco and then we move to Hawaii, and after that I turn 6 I came back and then almost every year we came and back since then, but I only have been living here for the past almost a year, I have been here for almost a year and has been really amazing I loving it, but the transition has been very hard Hawaii is very different like culturally the waves, the environment and everything so, it has been really hard but really amazing so I just have been enjoying it and learning of all this experiences, all for me are new experiences.


How was for you surfing in Acapulco for first time, and how do you feel now?

First when I was younger I wasn’t´ so comfortable, the waves here, the water, because is almost like open sea, in Hawaii where I am from it is not that open and the swells are very comfortable, the waves have always a definition and you always can drive with it, so then my first time here was really hard, but after a couple years your learn how, you get use to the changing water, the points where is going to brake, the currents. I am still getting used to it, it is hard for me the beach brake because I don’t have a beach brake where I am from so it’s a whole of a different experiences.


What do your learn of your parents about surfing?

My father has surf and been in the ocean since he were very young. Living here in Acapulco very next the sea. But my mam staring surfing when she was in her 20´nies. She is just a sponsor me, she determs, and we go out and like the longboard. But, it is mostly my dad, he is the water man. 


For preparing competition, somebody train you, or you train yourself?

Currently I don’t have a trainer, I really would like one. Right now I just wake up early in the morning, I do stretch, run, like 7 km, and come back for surfing again. And If I found a place in the end of the day I do some work out. But I don’t have a trainer, or someone who be there teaching me how.


Do you eat some special diet.

I have been not eating that great before, but then I started a new diet recently, called the keto diet, it is pretty hard but it works and I feel healthier now. In this diet, you don’t eat any alcohol, any sugar, you can eat meat basically, cheese, veggies, but any sugar, it is very limited. It is very hard to leave the sugar because we are addicted to it, but with natural juices, and natural flavors helps a lot. But it is a good diet, I am happy with it, it is not to strictal I would recommend it. 


How is surf in competition in the QS with the pro girls, how do you drive those emotions?

Living in Hawaii you can go out and surfing with a lot of professional surfers. Every contest you can see at least, two professional surfers. But the first QS contest I do i was a little intimated, because a lot of the girls have other sponsors, and sport team and everything, but it is in your hang to keep good thoughts in your head and just getting motivated to get out there, it is like, what you need to do every time, because you can go to a contest and be the best surfer, but if you don’t have the mindset, you won’t do good. So as long as you keep the mindsets, no matter what go in the ocean, don’t get nervous. I learn very young how to keep the mindset, so that helps a lot. 


Who is your favorite female and male surfer?

Actually is Tyler Wring I love her. Her style is so amazing, so aggressive, but like flowing at the same time. And my favorite guy surfing, ummmm I don’t use to pay attention on the guys, but probably, I love Mick Faning surfing, it is amazing. I like it. 


Who was your inspiration for surfing and get better in Hawai

They are my friends, of course to seeing another girls like Carissa More and Laura Enever were like very big parts of my surf inspiration because, Laura is today one of my best friends, she is always in Maui and to see her that she surfs so well and now she is a big motivation for us. Probably Laura, but my friends mostly, because it is like we are always motivating one to another. 


Your favorite spots

In Hawaii Back Door, I love Back Door, when you get early at Pipe contest, we have been in Pipe pro, because every year, you can go and surf in Back Door with three other girls, you get 25 minutes all for yourself. Normally in Hawaii you can surf with almost 3000 people, so definitely when there is a contest or something it is great. In Maui, Honolulu for sure I will just love that wave, every day of my life.

In Mexico la Bamba, for sure.

How do you feel after live and surf in Mexico for almost one year, how do you see the competitions in Mexico, what do you recommended to the Mexican surfers to get better?

It is pretty behind. The surf rules here in Mexico are very behind to the rest of the world. You know, it is nice to see people to trying to make it a better thing and helping others but we really need to put a feed down and say what´s gonna happened with our surf because there is a lot of, doing the contest every day it is being really epic, you never know whats happened, there is no set, it is all about, oh I heard this. It need to gets more organized, and get over time, it is going to be exciting to see what happen, we have this little kids getting older and getting better. Being here for almost a year learning this culture and this languages, It makes me to get experiences, and learning the languages it is so hard because everyone knows English that’s why trying to speak in Spanish is easier to speak English, it is one of the most difficult goal for me. But I love it and for me I can not go to the school to learn, so everything it is about to experiences with other people and talking, that’s how help me a lot. 


What places do you know from Mexico and the rest of the world?

Know, I know Mexico City all around there, Colima, for the nationals, Puebla, Cabo, amazing super great vacations.

I ve been in California, Nevada, Australia, Salvador.


Your best result ever

I been most proud of my results when i was in Australia and I get in the quarter final of one of the most important event and I was 16 years old, for me one of the best. But I got 6st in surfing America nationals, very well, here in Acapulco I got 2st, and I think my favorite over all was wining the Onolua Bay surf Contest, for years ago. 


New favorite trick

Recently I learn how to towing and surf some bigger waves, and I really enjoy it. In Hawaii the big waves are amazing they are perfect, and we just towing to big waves all day long and that’s has been the best experience ever, everyone should do it, it is not too hard. Getting in bigger waves it is something I wanted to do, but it is crazy all the time. May be after I can get used to it and get my own board but for now I just enjoy. We went to different waves. My uncle is a photographer, we went with professional towing surfing Alex Miranda, and we basically spend all day. 


Do you prepare for this day?

No, I just have do towing one time and it was in la Punta, and we were just joking. And this time, my uncle just call me, and tell me lets go, and my friend lend me his suit, and I just trust in my uncle you know, I trust in that his friends know the wave, and know what to do, but sometimes, the set is come and you are in the inside in the jet sky, and the wave brake up and you have to go fast, then you realize that they have to be very good with the jet sky in the ocean. The most amazing experience I have ever had. 


What are your planning on the next years?

I like to live my day by day. I don’t use to planning, you know when you surf you see oh there is a contest happening here, and then you go, you want to be there, and see what’s happening. 


Your biggest dream

My biggest dream is to competing in the QS is one of my biggest dreams specially for Mexico. But now my new goal is the Olympics, I really want to go to the Olympic Games and train, and help other girls. I am not really sure for how they are going to choose the athletes but I want to go. 


Somebody to say Hi

Love to say hi to my brother Pasion, I don’t have seen him in two years. I love you Pasion. And to my family and friends in Hawaii and Mexico.

Tags: México, Hawái, surf world