Leilani Gryde
Leilani Gryde
An interview by Laura Lynn Murphey
Full name: Leilani Gryde
Nickname: Lei Lei
Birthday w/ year: May 1st,1987
Hometown: Kailua-Kona Hawaii
Current residence: Coco’s floor, Hawaii
Parents names: Michael Gryde
Siblings: 2
High school: Konawaena
Sponsors: Oakley, etnies, Lost surfboards
Years surfing: 9
Other action sports that you participate in: none
How did you start surfing? My friend Jenny Crusat taught me
What is your proudest moment in surfing? Just getting some results always makes me happy
Who do you look up to? Inspiration? Steph Gilmore she’s the best and she handles it all so well.
Worst injury: Tore my MCL this past May and was out for 5 months
Favorite spot to surf: Banyans, my home spot and Lowers
Dream trip: My best friends from home, Steph Gilmore and a few others, on an amazing boat in Tahiti with out any crowds
What would you tell girls who are curious about learning to surf? Have fun with it
etnies Shoe: bernie
Other etnies riders you keep in touch with: Serena Brooke
What other etnies rider that is not a pro surfer would do best at trying surfing? Lauren Perkins
What other etnies riders have you met? Lauren Perkins, Serena Brooke, Nina Buitrago, Mary Osborne, Sally Fitzgibbons
Who is the craziest? Lauren Perkins
FAVORITES
Color: Green
Food: Hawaiian
Smell: Tiare flower
Place: Kona
Animal: Dog
Love: my friends
Hate: is a strong word
Need: less crowds
Want: to be successful
Top 5 bands:
1.) Jack Johnson
2.) Red Hot Chili Peppers
3.) Izrael Kamakawiwa’ole
4.) Kanye West
5.) Justin Timberlake
Currently listening to:
1.) Kanye West
2.) Fergie
3.) Justin Timberlake
The most recent band you saw live:
Beautiful girls
What band would you most want to see with front seats and backstage passes? Justin Timberlake
Biggest fear: dying
Happiest moment: I was pretty happy when I made the final at Haleiwa last week
5 Things you want to do before death:
1.) Bungee jump
2.) Make the WCT
3.) Get married
4.) Buy a house
5.) Make a name for myself
If you could only have one wish come true tomorrow what would it be? Wishing for more wishes doesn’t count.
To own my dream house on the big island
Have you ever volunteered for or supported a charity or a noble cause? No
If you could dedicate your entire life to supporting a charitable cause, what would it be? Probably some sort of cancer cause everyone in my family seems to die from cancer
Do you do anything in your daily life that is considered GREEN? I smile
How do you eat your Reeses? By the handfull
What do you do to prepare for a contest? I just sit around and watch the waves and hang out with my friends
Do you have any unusual talents? None at all, it’s kinda sad
