Started surfing at the age of 20

I was born in Emsdetten in Germany, since i was young I had a connection to the Sea as my father is a sailor and together with my family we used to go on boatholiday in the Netherland and the mediterranean Sea.

When I was 18 years old we moved to Sorso in Sardinia, where I started studying Archaeology with a special interest in Maritime Archaeology. Only here, in Sardinia I discovered Surfing, thanks to my study mate who sold her old 7.3" to me . Thanks to a Friend I soon got appassionate about Longboarding and once I met my Mates from Bulli Surf Club Castelsardo i went fully into it.

I Started with my first competitions in Italy 5 years ago and soon I started to compete on the German Championship too. And... there we are now, World Longboard Championship in El Salvador.

I grew up in northern Germany, and because of that without waves. The first time I came into contact with surfing, I was 19. A friend gave me a board and then I had 6 weeks time in which I taught myself to surf on the French Atlantic coast. With chaos and no structure, but apparently quite successful. I try to get out of Germany as much as possible and go to the sea. But so far I don't have any sponsors and the longboard surfing sport is not promoted in Germany. That's why, especially in the last few years until I graduated, I did a great balancing act between my studies (sports science and sociology at the University of Wuppertal) and spending as much time as possible at the sea. In the future I hope to spend as much time as possible on my longboard, there is nothing better for me than surfing in the ocean.

My name is Bianca Dootson. I am 22 years old and am born and raised in Santa Cruz CA. I have dual citizenship with Germany and am so proud to represent them at ISA. I am a full time student and am pursuing my BA in Psychology with a minor in Earth and Planetary Science. I graduate from University of California Santa Cruz with my degree in June of this year (2023). I hope to become a teacher for high school level psychology or cognitive science. I enjoy fishing and snowboarding outside of surfing as well as playing cards with friends and walking my dog, Moro.