Malia Manuel Flaunted Her Surfing Skills in a Bright Coral Bikini During Her SI Swim Feature in Turks and Caicos

The athlete brought her board and her beauty to her photoshoot in 2020.

Martha Zaytoun | Jan 12, 2024

Malia Manuel was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos.

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Malia Manuel’s 2020 SI Swimsuit Issue feature wasn’t your typical photoshoot. Like the countless others who had gone before her, she posed in a tropical locale in a variety of utterly stunning and vibrant swimsuits. And like those countless others, she was an undeniable beauty in front of photographer James Macari’s lens.

But unlike many of those others, Manuel got to bring just a touch more than her skill in front of the camera to the set of her SI Swimsuit debut in Turks and Caicos. She also brought her talent as a professional surfer to bear on the beaches of the island destination and on the SI Swimsuit set.

In addition to the many photos in which she modeled in the verdant green trees lining the white sand beaches or standing in the bright green waters, the 30-year-old Hawai’i native posed for a handful on her surfboard, a white DHD board with a handful of stickers adhered to the top and sides.

While not typical, the choice could not have been more fitting for the extremely talented athlete. When at the beach, why not let her put her skills on display? And, with the SI Swimsuit team and Macari looking on, that’s just what she did.

But why continue describing their beauty when we can just show you? Here are a handful of the beautifully posed snapshots and wildly adventurous surfing pics from Manuel’s trip to Turks and Caicos.

Malia Manuel — James Macari/Sports Illustrated

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Published Jan 12, 2024

MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2023, she worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Zaytoun loves to watercolor and oil paint, run and water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.