SURFING LAGUNA: Surfing siblings soar

Victor and Leah Pakpour are two surfers from Laguna to keep an eye on. This brother and sister duo has been turning heads with their talents both here in Laguna and throughout the Southern California surfing scene.

Victor, who is 17 and a student at Laguna Beach High School, is garnering attention for his ability to capture (on film) some of the best young surfers in the world and is currently working on his first feature surf film.

Leah, 13, and a Thurston honors student, has appeared on the radar with her competitive surfing. In fact, this past weekend she took first place at the Billabong Grom Comp up in Huntington Beach.

I managed to get these busy siblings together for a quick interview to shed some light on another Laguna surfing family.

Let’s start with Victor. Where did you grow up and talk about your first surfing experience?

VP: I grew up here in Laguna Beach, and my dad took me to Doheny almost every day after school when I was a mini-grom. I was stoked to be in the water as much as possible.

Leah, when did you first surf?

LP: I started surfing at Thalia Street at 5 years old at the Billabong surf camp with Donavon Frankenreiter and Slydog. I was too young for the camp, but when they saw me surf I was in.

When did you each know you where hooked? Was it a wave, a session?

VP: I was immediately taken into the surf culture when I started surfing Rockpiles every day and from there I was hooked. I had never had such a rush before that session.

LP: I was first hooked when I saw Victor surf and I wanted to be better than him. In Hawaii I was blown away with the perfect long rides.

Talk a little bit about your support from mom and dad. Do they back the surfing/filming lifestyle or do they see you as dreamers?

VP: My parents couldn’t be any more supportive! They have encouraged me with whatever I set out to do. With surfing it has meant taking me to the beach every day at crack of dawn and supporting my filming too. They have been the best!

LP: Although my parents don’t surf, the moment they saw that I was passionate they started taking me down to contests (almost) every weekend. All day at the comps they support me, especially my mom.

Victor, you surf on the Laguna Beach High team and have been seen toting a camera around more and more recently. Talk about how you got into shooting, who your subjects are and what the feedback has been thus far on your stuff.

VP: It all started with the handy cam. I made my sister Leah film me and then I would go home and edit away. After that, I knew I had a passion for filming and editing. Now I’m filming pros like Brad Ettinger, Ryah Arthur, Jamie Parkhurst, Cory Lopez, and many more. I have gotten positive feedback from big name producers such as Kai Neville. My editing ability is what has been bringing some really nice feedback.

Leah, one of your coaches, Alisa Cairns, had some great things to say about your surfing recently and then last weekend you went out and won a Billabong comp up in HB. Talk about your goals in surfing and what it was like to win that comp.

LP: My goals are to hopefully become a pro surfer and represent women’s surfing as one of the best. Right now my goals are just to win bigger contests and keep surfing and progressing. I heard about the Billabong contest and told my mom about it, and as always she was into it. It was a great event with fun waves and I went into my heat confident and stoked.

Victor, where do you see the filming taking you? What’s the goal as of now?

VP: I’m currently getting the ball rolling with making my first feature surf film. I’m shooting with up-and-coming and top surfers in the surf industry. I love to bring new angles and tasty soundtracks to the surf world. I want to make even a non-surfer enjoy the work I do.

Leah, what’s your goal in surfing? Are you thinking professional?

LP: My goals in surfing are to hopefully become professional and be able to make a living out of something I love so much. I also want to represent women’s surfing.

Who are your favorite Laguna surfers/people?

LP: Alisa Cairns

VP: Ian Cairns

Favorite pro surfers?

LP: My favorite guy surfer is for sure Joel Parkinson because he is so smooth and my favorite female surfers are Alisa Cairns and Carissa Moore. They both rip and have incredible style.

VP: My favorite surfer in the industry would have to be Mitch Coleborn because he is super futuristic!

Shout outs and thanks to anyone?

LP: For sure I want to thank my parents and especially my mom for driving me to contests, cooking and taking me surfing every day. And also my surfing coach, Alisa Cairns, for giving me confidence in my competing skills and coaching me the whole year!

VP: All the way to my mom and dad!

Victor, how can people check out your work?

VP: Through my blog, www.goodhumansproductions.blogspot.com, following the voyages as I produce my first feature surf film.

CHRIS WILLIAMS is a surfing coach and Laguna Beach resident, and father of four surf-crazy sons. He can be reached at [email protected] or (949) 497-5918.