Malia Manuel Was in Her Element on the Waves During Her SI Swimsuit Debut
![Malia Manuel was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos. Swimsuit by HAUS OF PINK LEMONAID. Malia Manuel was photographed by James Macari in Turks and Caicos. Swimsuit by HAUS OF PINK LEMONAID.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1281,h_720,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01j2h0ra648gra23v178.jpg)
Professional surfer Malia Manuel is at home in the water. The Hawai’i native began surfing professionally when she was in her early teens. Now 30, she remains inspired by the waves.
So when she posed for her debut Sports Illustrated Swimsuit photo shoot in 2020, it was fitting that she had a surfboard in hand and waves nearby. She has spent much of her life in a swimsuit, on the waves, so she was in her element on her trip to Turks and Caicos with photographer James Macari.
And the atmosphere resonated with Manuel, who shared that she finds herself most at home in and around the water. “Work for me, for the most part, is in nature, in the ocean; I’m constantly motivated and inspired with all that surrounds me in the water, whether that’s other athletes, friends, kids learning to surf for the first time, or just the stillness between waves,” she said while on set. “I thrive on the moments in between chaos and composure Mother Nature brings in the ocean. Every day is so different in the water, I’m constantly inspired to flow and learn to be present with my surroundings while I surf.”
Posing in the water for the SI Swimsuit issue, that motivation and inspiration shone through. In both the shots of her surfing the waves and posed on the beach, her familiarity and comfort with the setting was apparent.
Here are a few of the incredible photos from her trip to Turks and Caicos.