Alana Blanchard

If I went to a regular job, if I was a secretary or something, I'd want to look good. I'd dress up for that part.

Kauai is kind of my place where I go to get centered. It's always my place to come back and feel normal again.

Every day is different when I'm home, but mainly I just surf. There's no nightlife or shopping, so it's pretty mellow but really nice to come back to after a trip or an event. If you're traveling, you're all stressed out, then you get to Kauai, and nothing matters anymore.

I always look up to girls like Beyonce or Anna Kournikova. Girls who do something well but also look good. I think every girl loves to feel sexy and, sure, there's some creeps out there, but I'm putting myself out there. I guess I'm just working with what I have.

I think people are just haters. When they see people doing well, some people, if there's something wrong, they'll pick at that.

It's funny because looking back at my first contest, I was 15 and surfing the Haleiwa contest wearing this tiny bikini. I remember not even thinking twice about wearing it - I just thought it was normal.