Dropping in on Bettylou
Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo
Bettylou Sakura Johnson has been in the ocean for as long as she can remember.
As a child, she and her family would practically go to the beach every day. There, her parents would place her on a surfboard and push her into waves until she learned to stand and navigate the board on her own. Soon after, the Haleʻiwa native entered the Menehune Surf Contest and it wouldn’t be long before she began to experience victory.
At age 12, Johnson won the U.S. Open of Surfing competition in Huntington, California — a qualification meet for the World Surf League and one that pitted her against youth from Hawai‘i and the East and West coasts.
“That was probably my first really big contest that I won and was (the) moment that … I believed that I could be a pro surfer and really do it,” recalls Johnson. “That’s when I decided I wanted to pursue professional surfing.”
It turned out to be a good decision.
This past year marked a breakthrough for Johnson, 20, who captured her first two WSL Championship Tour events and finished the season ranked fifth overall. (The 2025 WSL Championship Tour kicked off in January with the Lexus Pipe Pro, which took place at Pipeline, and was comprised of 12 events, and concluded in September at the Lexus WSL Finals Fiji.)
“It felt great. It was one of my biggest accomplishments I’ve had of being on tour — even though you can always want so much more,” says Johnson, who won the Bonsoy Gold Coast Pro in Gold Coast, Queensland, in Australia, and followed that up with victory at the Lexus Trestles Pro in California. “You always dream of becoming No. 1 in the world.
“I did a lot of hard work to even get to No. 5, so I’m still really proud of that.”
Naturally, her family is equally proud of her latest professional accomplishment.
“She’s worked hard to get there,” says her mother, Shinobu Johnson. “It has been really fun to watch her progress, learn and grow. We are just very happy to see her doing what she loves to do.”
Although she’s in between seasons now, Johnson notes that she trains year-round, surfing at least an hour every day and sometimes for as many as eight hours if the waves are really good. In addition, she’s constantly working out on land, doing Pilates and weight training.
“You’re always constantly trying to better yourself because in surfing, there’s no limit,” she explains. “You can always get better.”
Another thing that keeps her locked in is studying other surfers. She grew up admiring Andy Irons and Stephanie Gilmore and also looks up to Malia Manuel of Kaua‘i.
While she always feels at home in the ocean, Johnson says it’s natural for her to become a bit anxious before getting into the water for a surf contest.
“Sometimes the nerves are there and sometimes they aren’t,” she says. “For me, what works best is a lot of breathing strategies and being able to calm myself down and being more present always helps me. Honestly, just trusting that moment and going into the heat knowing that you’ve prepared the most you could. So, that usually helps me for sure.”
Her victories last season meant a lot to Johnson because of the obstacles she’s had to overcome. In 2023, she tore her labrum in her right shoulder, which required surgery, and that took her out of the water for nearly four months. She had to do physical therapy almost twice a day and went through intense training to be able to be ready for the next season.
In 2022, Johnson was the youngest woman on the WSL Championship Tour and struggled with bouts of inadequacy.
“I did feel a little intimidation. I definitely knew that with the way I was surfing that I deserved to be where I was at, but I also didn’t have as much experience as all the older girls,” she says. “So, it was intimidating in that way, but I just had to trust and know that I’m here for a reason and that reason is because my level of that age was great and I deserved to be there.”
Her accomplishments have opened many opportunities for her, including signing brand deals with Monster Energy, Oakley, G-Shock and also RVCA.
“I’ve been with RVCA for three years now, so quite a new partnership, but they’re really awesome and it feels like family to be with them and to be a part of the team,” says Johnson. “It’s an honor because I feel they represent Hawai‘i very well and I always see my friends wearing RVCA, so it’s really cool.”
One of Johnson’s sweetest accomplishments happened close to her North Shore home. In 2021, she rode off with the Hale‘iwa Challenger title and, as a result, earned the nickname “Queen of Hale‘iwa.”
“That contest was very special. It was honestly my first big win that I’ve had in the World Surf League, for the Challenger Series,” she says. “To win at home is the best feeling ever because you’re celebrating with all your friends and your family, and you won in front of the people that have supported you since day one.”
As much as she loves being in the ocean, Johnson also spends considerable time caring for it as well. She actively participates in WSL’s One Ocean initiative in which the organization partners with nonprofits at every stop of the competition to help clean the area.
“I think that’s super important and very special that WSL is partnered with One Ocean and that allows us surfers to be able to commit our time and give back in a way,” says Johnson, who received a Po‘okela Award last year for being one of the athletes to attend the most One Ocean events.
“I was super honored to receive that because I didn’t really know that they were giving out awards at that time,” she continues. “I just loved giving back my time to every spot that we went to. I feel like it always goes a long way.
“I think giving back is everything really. It’s being able to give your time to a community that you were visiting at or surfing somewhere else, and you’re surfing the waves and you just want to feel more gratitude and give back in a way. That’s my way of giving my thanks.”
On the North Shore, Johnson serves her community by participating in the aforementioned Hale‘iwa Menehune Contest. Sometimes, she helps judge the event and hands out awards with the contest jerseys she receives. She’s also donated her old surfboards to the next generation of surfers.
When asked what words of wisdom she’d like to share with aspiring surfers, Johnson responds, “My advice would be to constantly go in the ocean and keep trying even though it may seem impossible or really hard. You can only better yourself in the ocean. Just enjoy it and have fun and know that the ocean is a safe place and know your limits.”
For Johnson, surfing often represents freedom.
“You’re really given the whole canvas of a wave to put your own art on, to surf the wave however you want,” she explains. “I think just the freedom and being allowed to do what you want on a wave is one of the best feelings.
“I would say surfing was my first love so it changed everything,” she adds. “It was a place where I felt safe, felt happy and just at peace.”
So, what’s on the horizon for the young professional surfer?
Aside from her ongoing preparations for next year’s WSL Tour, which begins in April, Johnson can be found enjoying life these days at her main hiking spots, Mākua Valley and Stairway to Heaven (the legal trail, of course); eating at her favorite places, Poke For The People and Waiahole Poi Factory; and spending time with her loved ones.
“I would like to tell the community and everyone that has supported me just a big thank you and I hope to make everyone proud,” she says. “I hope I represent our community wonderfully all around the world.”
