Chasing History: Sierra Kerr returns to Maldives as youngest competitor

Sierra Kerr was in the Maldives six years ago, that time as a spectator watching her father Josher Kerr as he rode the waves straight to the top, winning the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions Trophy for the second consecutive year.

Even as she sat on a boat that day, legs dangling over the side of the boat, the sun and sea spray on her face, Sierra had aspirations of following in her father’s footsteps.

This year, from September 4 to 11, Sierra is returning to Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Maldives, this time as the youngest competitor the Four Seasons Maldives Surfing Champions event has ever seen. She will also be the only female contestant amongst six surfing greats participating in this year’s event.

She’ll go head-to-head with Craig Anderson, Jesse Mendes, and a lineup of yet-to-be-announced champions in the world’s only event that challenges surfers across single fin, twin fin, and thruster boards—set against the flawless waves of the Maldives.

Four Seasons introduced some surfers featured in this year’s line-up: Sierra Kerr, the fearless 18-year-old aiming to become the first female champion; Craig Anderson, the style master whose effortless flow is a benchmark in modern surfing; and Jesse Mendes, the Brazilian force with a competitive edge as sharp as his turns. Each brings their own arsenal to the waves, promising a battle as beautiful as the Maldives backdrop.

“I’ve got so many great memories of the Maldives from when Dad was competing here,” says Sierra, now a 2023 World Junior Champion.

“Seeing him win was amazing, and I remember hoping one day I’d be good enough to be invited. No woman has ever won the Surfing Champions Trophy before, so it would be incredible to be the first.”

Four Seasons announced that guests at Kuda Huraa can enjoy front-row views of the action from luxury boats and mingle with competitors during relaxed beachfront gatherings after each day’s heats. For those eager to ride the waves themselves, the resort’s Surf’s Up package includes personalized coaching for all skill levels, guided boat trips to nearby breaks, yoga sessions to enhance balance, and soothing post-surf massages to rejuvenate tired muscles.