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She was the dark horse who bolted to the end of the 2021 Challenger Series, to qualify for the Championship Tour at the final event in Haleiwa.
But after her meteoric rise to global surfing awareness, India Robinson has remained in the dark, literally, and figuratively. She has spent many months and her first year on tour trying to recover from devastating concussions that threatened to derail her career.
For the first time, Robinson shares her journey on film in a new documentary produced by Tracks writer and sports journalist Kate Allman with award-winning production house The Story Mill. Robinson tells of the long road to recovery, leading to her unexpected triumph over eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in the Gold Coast Pro at Snapper Rocks this year.
The feature film, Making It, will headline the Women’s Adventure Film Tour 2023 screening around Australia and internationally from September.
“I went through a lot of mental struggles, being by myself a lot, sitting in a dark room, trying to recover,” Robinson says.
“Honestly it was so difficult. For someone who calls themself a professional athlete, I definitely didn’t feel like one.”
Despite warnings from medical experts, Robinson was determined to continue surfing. Motivated by necessity and the financial reality of not having a sponsor to pay the bills.
“Since the age of 16 I’ve been unsponsored, which means you simply have to rely on your prize money if you aren’t getting an income from a brand,” she says. “For me, it was – get a result, or you’re not making it to the next comp.”
Making It also follows three other athletes in different sports and the heartbreak and elation they encounter on the road to success. Alongside Robinson, former Australian netball captain Caitlin Bassett, former professional skier Annabel Blake, and rising star in women’s rugby Aneeka Riley shine light on what it takes to make it to the top.
“The concept of success is something that fascinates me, and I think the elusiveness of ‘making it’ as an athlete fascinates all sports fans,” says filmmaker and executive producer Kate Allman.
“Making the team, making the cut, making the final, making the podium. The reality is so many will never make it. Some make it halfway, very few make it to the top. And even those that do will rarely feel complete – there’s always a new goal in sight. Our film explores that whole notion and what it really means to ‘make it’.”
Making It premieres in Australia in September, with dates in all capital cities and major regional hubs. India Robinson will be speaking at the Gold Coast screening on Friday 8 September.
Tracks writer Kate Allman will host the premiere in Melbourne on 6 September, and in Sydney on 20 September. She’d love to meet anyone attending from the Tracks community.
