Twenty-year-old Aelan Vaast grew up on the island of Tahiti, where she honed her skills at the at one of the most unforgiving waves on the planet – Teahupo’o. A multiple French Polynesian champion, Aelan left Tahiti in 2020 and moved to France to study.

We caught up with Aelan  after she featured in the latest video Billabong project, ‘Girls in Run’, a new edit filmed in the Reunion Island, a small French island off of the coast of Madagascar with incredible surf.

Aelan, what was Reunion Island like?
It was my first time to Réunion and it’s such a beautiful place with so many different landscapes, the weather’s nice and the water’s warm. I was invited to participate in a competition to represent France’s New Aquitaine region.

Where did you surf?
For the contest we surfed Les Brisant beach break, which was really fun to surf and you could get 3 or 4 turns on the wave. When we weren’t competing we surfed at St Leu, which is a crazy reef break similar to my home break in Tahiti, a long and powerful left hander.

Reunion is known as the ‘shark highway’ did you have to deal with any challenges?
During all the sessions we were under the supervision of the Vigies Requins (shark spotters). So of course it was a bit stressful when we were surfing but we tried not to think about it too much. However to still you need to be really careful when you surf and not go alone, or at sunset. It’s thanks to their supervision that they can run contests on the island again.

“This was the first time here for me in Réunion Island, it’s such a beautiful place.”

How do you prepare yourself for surfing intense, powerful waves?
The waves in Reunion are similar to those in Tahiti, so to surf waves like this I prepare myself physically beforehand, and above all I work on my swimming.
What advice would you give to other young surfers who are stepping out of their comfort zone and surfing new spots?
Stepping out of your comfort zone to surf new spots is a powerful way to grow. Respect the ocean and local surfers—observe, learn, and approach with humility. Prepare mentally and physically by understanding the spot’s conditions. Start small to build confidence and embrace discomfort, knowing every challenge strengthens you. Always prioritise safety and know your limits. Most importantly, stay connected to the joy of surfing and celebrate every step forward. Pushing yourself in the ocean shapes not just your skills, but who you are.

Are there any other surf spots around the world you’d love to surf?
Yes I’d love to go in Indonesia. The waves look incredible, big barrels and you can surf all day in warm water!