Spotlight Series: Regina Lucy Gamboa

With female wave riders on the rise in the wave riding community, we here at OkShoots just want to be able to present a platform for some of these amazing women to be spotlighted, so we hope that this week’s feature does that. This week’s Spotlight Series feature is on female wave rider, Regina Lucy Gamboa. She hails from the island of Guam and when she’s not in Mom mode to her two daughters, she out charging waves huge or small like there’s not a care in the world. Enjoy.

 
 
 
Name: Regina Lucy Gamboa


Where are you from? The beautiful village of Agat, GUAM

 
What got you into the sport? All my friends, who like me, had an innate love and stoke for the ocean.

 
How long have you been wave riding? I have been bodyboarding for a little over a decade, but my brother and I used to jump waves on a jet ski for thrills since I was pocket sized.  

 
 
Amateur or Professional (Prone, Dropknee, Surfing, Surfmat, Bodysurf, etc.)? To be honest I'm not quite sure what caliber I'd be placed in. I like to fancy myself more of a soul surfer and in true essence of the quote "Only a surfer knows the feeling...”  I could spend more than a day putting into words all of the FEELS that come with wave riding, but if you've never ridden a wave, well...  That or maybe I didn't read that question right; and the answer you're simply looking for is Amateur Bodyboarder straight prone. Haha.

 
What's your go-to board size and shape in any condition? Given my short stature, 5' flat, I've ridden a 38" bat tail and crescent for the majority of my surfing life. But as of late I've been riding a sweet TRIAD 39" bat tail which may sound ill-equipped for me but it has definitely upped my wave riding capabilities. It's like a gun for my straw-weight okole that is keen for charging bigger waves on heavy days (by my standards 4-6 Hawaiian). 

 
Favorite Board Color Combo? Anything bright so the boys could spot me if need be when I eat shit. But my quiver consists of 3 yellow boards and one pink, hopefully my rad sponsors, Taotao Tasi Surf, flow me a sweet red sled to shred.😁

 
Favorite Breaks (Can choose not to disclose or not reveal locations)? My dream break is Palikir and OTW which one day I'll get to surf. Out of respect to my surf familia, I'm going to refrain from name dropping with our hometown steeze. Besides there's no real waves here anyway, just dakine that makes me play kiss face with Reef or sends me to get natural tattoos from Reef.

 
Any words of advice for up and coming wave riders? Appreciate each and every single moment you get to paddle out and ride waves, big small choppy glassy crowded solos sessions what have you, and hold onto those stoked out vibes. Don't forget to also pay homage to our mother ocean by giving back every chance you get by cleaning her shores because no one likes leaches and besides you get what you give. Luckily for us she's always welcoming with pits wide open, least we not forget she can swallow our monkey behinds, spat us on the reef and send us home sliced and diced, or worse. So may your vibe impact your ride and fuel it nothing but pure surf stoke.   

 
Shout outs/Sponsors? I'd love to give a huge S/O to my sweet baby girls, Angelina and Alexis, who give me permission to surf, my family for being there for me so I can bust Phantom sessions at the butt-crack o'dawn, to my sweet surf sister Caroline for shredding with me and stoking me into waves I when I begin to second guess myself, to the Guahan Napu Surf Familia of Guam and choke stokes to my Sponsors, brothers Albert, Jesse aka "Butch" and Randy Juan along with their partner Brian Leon Guerroro, then men behind Taotao Tasi Surf Guahan. Si yu'us mahalo for fueling my stoke, inspiring me to do more with my surfing career and giving me a taste of what it’s like to be a legit shreddah. Last but not the least, to YOU guys at OKSHOOTS for the Aloha and spreading the Good Vibes worldwide, pushing that wave riding culture in positivity.