Nikki steps up

Phillip Island's Nikki Van Dijk has been turning heads in the water with her clinical attack of waves at home and on international shores for many years. She's been winning junior contests and stepped up to challenge the big names at the Rip Curl Pro for the past four years, and that was before she even turned 18.

This year, Nikki made history, becoming the first Victorian female to qualify for the world tour, after taking out the ASP 6-Star Pantin Classic Galacia Pro in Spain.
It must have been an emotional moment, having missed out on making the 2013 world tour by just three ranking spots last year.
Check out Nikki surfing Spain below and that moment (she's the natural-footer in the fluro green suit and white rashy).

Go back a few months, and Nikki was turning heads at Bells Beach, winning her Round One heat over world number one Tyler Wright and Malia Manuel, and defeating 5-time world champ Steph Gilmore in Round 3; eventually bowing out to New Zealand's Paige Hareb in round four.
There's a lot of discussion going on in surfing circles right now about the place of wildcards in pro surfing competition.
I think wildcards add extra excitement for the fans, are an opportunity for rising stars to step up and challenge the pros and if world tour competitors can freely enter lesser rated events, then I think the wildcard system should stay.

Check out what Nikki had to say following the excitement of the Rip Curl Pro in my interview for Pulse Television.

Congratulating Nikki Van Dijk after the Rip Curl Pro at Easter.

Last year, I stole a few minutes once again with Nikki after Easter before she headed back to the Island. She let me in on why she loves competing, where she feels her surfing's at, and how much Bells means to her.

Keep an eye out for Nikki's name, and her younger brother Joe Van Dijk who's also killing it in junior competition.