Despite the lack of a coastline and acres of potatoes, Aberdeen Idaho's latest super star has been shredding her way to the top in the 2020/2021 US surf season. 

 

Monica Thompson, came out of nowhere to become a household name in the surf world, winning both the California western circuit and the Hawaii Women's Surf High Air.

 

Monica grew up picking potatoes and sugar beats on her parents farm in Idaho and had no idea what a surfboard was until a two week California summer trip when she was 8.  "The first time I got on a surfboard something felt right", Monica reminsces, "I just fell right in love with surfing."

Monica spent as much time as she could traveling back to her cousin's house in Santa Monica, California where she spent every waking moment in the water.

 

Her first big win came at the 2015 Santa Monica big women's surf  competition.  Since then Monica has been consistently placing in the top 3 in every competition she embarks on.