Conceived through rape and adopted out, the tomboyish, small-statured champion surfer Layne Beachley had, from the outset, a deep-seated motivation for succeeding: ‘When Dad told me I was adopted, that was when I decided I was going to be the best in the world at something, anything... because that would earn me the love and respect of someone.’ In fact, despite being one of the most successful female surfers in the world with seven world titles to her name, a successful clothing line, media career, and a foundation set up to help other girls achieve their dreams, Beachley’s life and career have been hard-fought. Her adoptive mother died when she was just six, she lost her stepmother to cancer, and she had to repeatedly overcome potentially career-ending injuries to win the titles. Featuring in-depth interviews with family, friends, mentors, and competitors, Beneath the Waves offers a raw insight into what it takes to make a champion. Its appeal reaches beyond girls interested in surfing to a broader reading demographic and, with Beachley's career not yet over, the journey isn’t finished. In the interim, ‘the ocean will continue to be her office, sunscreen her make-up, and a bikini her uniform.’

Fiona Crawford is a Brisbane-based writer, editor, proofreader, and sports fanatic

Tags: michael gordon & layne beachley