Rachael Tilly started impressing people early, racking up trophy after trophy for her longboarding talent. As her dad recalls, it was surf contests instead of soccer games for the family early on. Last year, Tilly realized the ultimate goal of all that hard work when she claimed the Longboard World Title in Hainan, China.
But even as Tilly has distinguished herself above and beyond in the lineup, it was her education in the shaping bay that helped shape her career. Growing up, she caught the eye of local shaper Terry Martin, who took her under his wing and began not only to shape boards for Tilly, but to teach her about the craft.
Martin passed away in 2012, which was a tough loss for Tilly, who cited him as a huge influence in her life.