Layne Beachley is a seven-time surfing world champion who in 2006 was inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame. Layne was inducted into the Australian Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015.

As one of Australia’s greatest athletes, Layne forged a career spanning twenty years and has used that skill and determination to help young women achieve their goals in whatever field they chose. 

Layne was adopted as a baby and her adoptive mother died when she was only six. Finding out that she was adopted at the age of seven made Layne determined to be the best in the world – at that point she wasn’t sure what that would be, but it soon became evident that it would be surfing.

Debuting at the ASP Women’s World Tour at the age of 16, and ranked 6th in the world by the age of 20, Layne was undertaking an intense training regime that physically set her apart from other female pro surfers and she went on to win her first event in 1993.

Layne was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and depression in 1993, and she used the mental toughness she had developed from a determined seven-year-old to a world champion, to assist her in managing her conditions.

Winning the first of 6 consecutive world titles in 1998, earned Layne recognition as a dominator of women’s surfing and she has since won a seventh title.  In 2006 Layne used her star power and business acumen to create the Havaianas Beachley Classic at Manly Beach in Sydney, the richest women’s surfing event.  It ran for seven years and was sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank and entrepreneur was added to her list of titles.

In 2003, Layne launched the Aim for the Stars Foundation which helps and supports young women to realise and achieve their dreams in whatever field they choose by awarding scholarships.

An officer of the Order of Australia, Chair of Surfing Australia, and founder of the Awake Academy, Layne lives a life of unapologetic honesty, sharing her experiences with humour and humility, standing firm in her values with a clear vision for the future. Her sights are firmly set on cultivating connection, growth and happiness in humanity.