Meet Avalon Starick: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Board Shaper

One of our favourite parts of Seas the Day wasn’t only the waves or the conversations - it was meeting women doing seriously cool things!!!

One of those women was Avalon Starick.

Avalon is a surfboard shaper and the Australian Director of Xococo - Coco Ho’s female-focused surfboard brand. Her role stretches from the shaping bay to customer service, production, events, social media and running the Australian side of the business. In an industry still largely shaped by men, Avalon is quietly creating her own path with curiosity, creativity and a genuine love for the craft.

Growing up in a tiny coastal town in Tasmania, Avalon spent her childhood swimming, exploring rock pools, sewing and making things with her mum. Years later, that same curiosity led her from making coffees in a surfboard showroom to lingering around the shaping bays next door, asking questions until someone finally gave her a chance.

What started as a two-week trial became years of learning, shaping and building boards—and eventually, a leading role with Xococo.

Avalon’s story is a beautiful reminder that there isn’t one neat path towards the work you’re meant to do. Sometimes it begins by following what fascinates you, asking plenty of questions and backing yourself enough to keep showing up—even when you’re the only woman in the shaping bay.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up, and what do you do for fun?

I grew up in Sisters Beach on the North west coast of Tasmania. A super small and remote coastal village. I loved growing up there and it deeply shaped who I am today. I spent much of my upbringing out in nature whether that was hiking in the bush or swimming in the ocean and exploring rock pools, as well as sewing, making art or crafting with my mum. These days for fun, I still spend time in nature and being crafty hahah I guess not much has really changed. When I’m not working I’ll be spending time with friends, surfing, sewing, collaging, cooking or travelling and exploring new towns and cafes. 

Surfboard shaping is still a pretty male-dominated industry. How did you first get into shaping, and what made you want to pursue it?

When I finished school in Tasmania I deferred an environmental science degree and travelled in my van up the east coast of Australia. It was on that trip that I discovered the glitz and glam of the Gold Coast. I eventually made the move to Palm Beach in southern goldy and landed a job making coffees in the Album surfboard showroom down the hustling Tweed Heads industrial estate. I was surrounded by beautiful surfboards coming in and out of the showroom and other surfboard factories, which meant I was I was making coffees for some amazing shapers and board builders. I think curiosity really took over me, I became so intrigued by surfboard design and how boards were made. I would finish work at the cafe and walk down the road to the shaping bays where I would watch, ask questions and nag the shapers to explain their ways. At first I didn’t really register that it was completely male dominated industry that I was tapping into. It probably wasn’t until a few months into shaping I had a moment where I was like “woah I love and crave hanging out with my girlfriends” and it kind of clicked that was because I was spending all my time with middle aged men hahah.  

Are you self-taught, or did someone take you under their wing? We'd love to hear about your journey learning the craft.

After pestering the shapers down the road for quite some time eventually Gavin Upson from 1-DA surfboards gave me a 2 week trial as an “apprentice” (there are no “real” qualifications in the industry). I got hooked and stayed for 2 and 1/2 years learning how to shape from him. I would work in the cafe in the mornings and then shape in the afternoons. Gav was contracted to shape a bunch of different brands, including Album, so I was able to learn on some of the best shapes. After working with Gavin for quite some time, he mentioned he really only gave me the initial two-week shaping trial with the hopes it would expose me to the tough and dusty work environment and would be enough to stop me nagging and leave the shapers alone haha. I spent 2023 working as a surf guide in the tropics but returned straight back into building boards in 2024, this time still shaping a little but mostly in the glassing factory. Today I shape just for Xococo and Album, I’m forever learning and asking questions but feel like I have already come a long way from those first couple of years.

You're also the Australian E-com bsuines manager for Xococo Coco Ho Surfboards. How did that opportunity come about, and what has your relationship with Coco been like?

I was ghost shaping some Album boards when working under Gavin. Matt Parker (founder and owner of Album Surf and Xococo) would come out here to Australia a couple of times a year and we would watch him shape and he’d give us feedback. Back in 2022 he mentioned starting Xococo, a brand that would be female focused and would like for me to be involved. I thought I was blowing my chance to be involved with Xococo when I decided to take the job surf guiding overseas for the year of 2023. But during that year I ran into Coco Ho in the Maldives and the Philippines where she had the first few editions of the XO boards. When I returned home in 2024 the launch of the brand was only just happening as it took a whole year to get up and going. That’s when I signed on as Australian Director of Xococo and started up the brand here. I have such a fun relationship with Coco, part friendship and part business. I have learnt so much from her already in terms of surfing, boards and business but also from a personality perspective, she’s driven, bubbly and enthusiastic but also isn’t afraid to voice her opinion, I admire and look up to her in all these aspects. From going on trips together to discussing business strategy it has been a learning curve for the both of us. It is a continuous journey and I feel super lucky to be on the journey with her.

What makes Coco Ho Surfboards different? If someone was choosing their next board, what do you think they'd notice about riding one?

Xococo boards are designed differently from almost everything else on the market. Surfboards have largely been built by guys around the male physic, like many things in this world. While our boards aren't made just for women, they are designed from a woman's perspective. Just to name a few differences and generally speaking here, women tend to have smaller feet, narrower shoulders, a narrower stance and we surf from our hips and legs rather than the upper-body. These differences have led us to design our boards in a unique way. 

Xococo boards are slightly narrower, making them easier to paddle, turn and carry under your arm. Rather than purely removing the volume from the width, we've redistributed the foam through the centre of the board to maintain stability and paddle power. The rails are finely refined with a lower apex, creating a board that feels more responsive and reactive when on rail, and the fin placement is adjusted to better suit the stance many women naturally adopt. That means when you pop up, your feet are more likely to land in the board's sweet spot without having to conciously shuffle your back foot into position. 

The idea is to give opportunity to everyone by creating boards that feel like they were designed for the person riding them. The right equipment can make progression faster and surfing way more fun, natural and intuitive. Surfing is already hard enough, with so many variables, and up until now women have had the additional battle of equipment that wasn’t designed with them in mind.

Running a business is never just one job. Between shaping boards, managing the Australian business and e-commerce, what does a typical week look like, and what's been your biggest challenge so far?

My role today is extremely varied, and as much as that can feel overwhelming, I thrive in it and love the variety and learning all aspects. I try to aim to have at least two- three days in the shaping bay and the rest of the time in the office/ showroom but that changes depending on what needs doing. When im not in the shaping bay my weeks can involve sales, speaking with customers, designing files, responding to emails, running the insta, liasing with team riders, organising Beach Days/events/trips, managing production, packing boards and orders along with everything else that comes along with sales and helping to run a business. 

My biggest challenge so far, which from reading other of your sol sista blogs with other inspiring women, is very common. The idea that I’m not capable of doing what I’m doing. I often battle with trusting and backing myself. I am super lucky to have the trust, support and opportunities from my team to push me past my own thoughts and encourage me to run with my ideas and continue to enjoy the work I’m passionate about and love. 

If a young woman was thinking about getting into surfboard shaping, the surf industry, or even starting her own business, what advice would you give her?

I would say stay curious and eager, be ready to listen and learn from everyone but to also stay true to what you think feels and looks right. Everyone is going to have their own opinions on what is the right way to shape a board or whether you should be in a surfboard factory as a women but if you really love it stay true to that. 

Looking ahead, what are you most excited about over the next five years—for yourself, your business, and women's surfing more broadly?

Oooh there is SO much I am excited for in the future for me, Xococo, and women’s surfing! I’m definitely not one to plan far ahead but I have some dreams and goals I’d love to work towards. Part of this is purely just seeing the brand grow as more people experience the spark, fun and flow  these boards provide! I’m also looking forward to travelling and connecting within different communities around the world. Working with, supporting and collaborating with other women in the industry in creative ways. Women’s surfing has obviously come a long way but i am still eager to see where else it has to go. I’ve already seen more women getting into building boards too which makes me so excited to see the ideas and influences we will continue to have on the industry.