Wafa Heboul refuses to fit into your box. A Moroccan skater, surfer, and entrepreneur, Wafa has grown up going against the grain. Her experience learning to skate as the only girl at her local skate park 20 years ago made her comfortable rebelling against norms and choosing the path less travelled. Now in her third decade, she hopes to continue doing just that, but in a slightly different fashion.

Born in Agadir Morocco, and later moving to the well-known skate and surf hub of Taghazout, Wafa grew up surfing and skating under the dry heat of the Moroccan sun. After trying basketball, soccer, and crafts, skating and surfing were what stuck, and they quickly became important outlets of self-expression and release as she navigated her teens and 20s in a rapidly evolving environment.

“When I was just learning how to skate, my family was naturally really scared for me… they worried that I would break bones. I would bring my skateboard into the house and they were negative about it. But I was stubborn and consistent.”

After seeing how successful Wafa was, winning a few local skate competitions and competing at Olympic qualifiers, her family eventually relented to her pursuit of the sport, recognising her aptitude and stubborn dedication.

Wafa Heboul has turned Moroccan stereotypes upside down with her bold pursuit of surfing and skating. Photo: Maddy Bolt.

“I remember after I won my first competition, I came home and my family just looked at me. They didn’t say much, but I could tell that from that point on, I was allowed to do whatever I wanted.”

Growing up in Morocco, Wafa was short on other local female skaters or surfers to look up to; fortunately, she had other role models in her orbit. “My mom passed away when I ...