Having a parent who works in a surfboard factory is like being a kid in a sweet shop with pocket money to spend. The possibilities feel endless, and you can sample whatever flavours you fancy. For Lilliana Bowrey, the rideable palette spans across longboards, twinnies, quads and thrusters. She attributes the diversity of her quiver to the influence of her father Jake Bowrey, who, alongside Thomas Bexon, started Thomas Surfboards when Lilliana was five-years-old. Over the last 15 years the Noosa-based board builders have earned a rep for producing a range of longboards and alternative craft, which strive to intersect the ideals of aesthetics and performance.

“If it wasn’t for Dad, then I wouldn’t be the surfer I am today,” professes Liliana Bowrey, who is talking to us over the phone in the wake of a full-tilt run at Kirra during cyclone Alfred. 

“Because of him, I’ve grown up around so many boards and it gave me the chance to ride different shapes, sizes and fin set-ups. While it’s hard to teach style, I believe the more time you spend experimenting with various boards, the more influence it has on how you want to ride a wave.”

While TV and film offers have come her way, Lilliana’s first love is the aquatic stage. Photo: Matissek.

It’s apparent that Lilliana’s desire to try new things has had a positive impact on her approach. She glides freely on longboards, charges forehand tubes on quads or twinnies and can flare up on a traditional thruster. It’s a dynamic skill set and although dozens of male surfers have cultivated careers around their disparate board tastes, Lilliana is one of the few women to really embrace the ‘ride everything’ approach.  A specific kind of plasticity of body and mind is required to dance and weave ...