Editor’s Note:
Looking back on this interview 21 years later feels a little like opening an old tide-stained journal. I was around 25 at the time, freelancing in the surf world and still competing myself when I met Colleen Mehlberg in San Clemente. She was younger, still in high school and preparing for college, but already one of those surfers who made everyone in the lineup stop and watch. She had this effortless style in the water. Fast, graceful, powerful, almost floating across the wave. I remember wanting to know more about her because she stood out in a way that had nothing to do with contest results or hype. She just loved surfing. That energy came through immediately when I interviewed her, and even more during our photo shoot at Lower Trestles. We shot for maybe an hour, and on her very first wave she nailed the shot. I remember joking, “Well, we can go home now.” She was incredibly easy to work with and genuinely kind.
Reading the article now, it’s interesting to see how clearly she already knew who she was. Even back then, Colleen didn’t seem drawn to the pressure of the competitive surf industry. She talked more about fun, education, faith, and balance than rankings or sponsorships. Looking her up now, it feels like she built exactly the kind of life she wanted. She’s married with two boys, still surfing, still adventuring, and from the looks of it, fully embracing life outside the contest jersey. I believe she also went into science and built a career there as well. We lost touch over the years, but revisiting this story reminded me that not every great surfer follows the expected path. Some people quietly carve out their own line and end up exactly where they’re supposed to be.
“When I paddle out, everything in my life is gone. Everything. No matter what kind of day it is or was, everything’s OK for that moment.”
There is always that one local girl in the lineup who knows how to rip it up, prompting other surfers to ask, “Who is that?” Colleen Mehlberg is that girl. She surfs with a strength, style, and repertoire that light up the water. Her bottom turns are deep carves, her top turns explosive, her energy in the water contagious, and her attitude makes her a good ambassador for the sport.
She took the high school women’s title at the NSSA National Championships, nabbed first place at the Surfing America National Championships, and earned a spot on the USA Surf Team. With results like these, a lot of people are asking the question: “Who is Colleen Mehlberg?”
SLW sat down with her to learn more about the young woman behind the surfer.
Her regular break is Riviera in San Clemente, and her family has a house in Scorpion Bay. She’d rather surf an average wave alone than a perfect wave crowded with people at Trestles.
“When I surf in crowds, I get frustrated, and that takes away from what surfing is. I don’t like the person I am when I get frustrated. I’d rather have fun.”
She’s kind of a jock, having done just about every sport imaginable: snowboarding, wakeboarding, basketball, skateboarding. But surfing has become the focus.
“I skate a little, but I don’t like falling, so I try to skate as little as possible to reduce the risk of injury.”
For Colleen, surfing is about more than competition.
“When I paddle out, everything in my life is gone. Everything. No matter what kind of day it is or was, everything’s OK for that moment. I love being in the ocean. That’s when I feel closest to God and the raw, pure creation. It’s where I can find God.”
She’s competitive by nature and can’t imagine not competing in surfing, but she believes there’s more to life than wearing a colored jersey.
“I never really thought about competition until recently. The most important thing to me right now is receiving an education and working toward a career. If I had the right opportunity to travel and compete, I definitely wouldn’t want to miss out. There’s a lot more to surfing than just surfing.”
She’s also hesitant about tackling the World Qualifying Series full time.
“I’m not sure if my surfing could stand up to the pro level. I would have to put my head down and really focus in order to be at the level I want.”
She’s also dealing with the loss of a close friend.
“Timmy Dowell was my encourager. Growing up, I had support from so many people in my town, but Timmy stood out leaps and bounds above the rest. He was the one who made me believe in myself and pushed me to do things I didn’t think I could do. Now that he’s gone, my drive to achieve is that much more intense. I want to work harder and be better, not just in my surfing, but as a person.”
