Sarah Hauser is a professional windsurfer and personal trainer based in Maui, Hawaii. Originally from New Caledonia, she competes and has a special affinity for big waves — including holding the Guinness World Record for the Largest Wave Windsurfed by a woman. Off the water, she and her husband Casey tend their garden in Haiku, slowly working to regenerate soil that still carries the weight of over a century of pineapple farming.
SHOP THE KIT
When everything goes sideways in your world, what does "comfort in the chaos" actually look like for you?
Triage. I focus on what matters right now and let my training carry the rest. Preparation is key. It's important to have a plan for worst case scenarios so that you don't have a lot of thinking to do in those moments, you can concentrate your energy on execution.
What's the gnarliest day you've ever had in your element, and how did it change the way you operate now?
I'm lucky enough to live in Maui where we have one of the best big waves in the world: Pe'ahi aka Jaws. One day, after a 5 hour session, our ski engine shut down right as we were coming in at Maliko Gulch. My partner and I had to swim and dive under the waves with our jet ski until someone could finally help us. It reminded me to always keep something in reserve. The ocean doesn't care how good your day was. It's not pessimism, it's just risk management.
What do you chase more: the perfect result or the feeling you get getting there—and why?
The crazier the goal, the more interesting the journey. So chase both. The perfect result and the feeling of getting there. When a goal feels impossible or scary, that's usually a sign that the journey is going to be full of adventures!
What's one non‑negotiable ritual or mindset you rely on before you step into high‑pressure conditions?
Preparation the day before. I like to write what I'm going to do so that I remove as much of the thinking as possible and can rely on instinct and hopefully flow during high pressure moments. In a way, they are a relief because all the work has been done, and it's just time to go for it.
What’s a small thing that instantly flips your switch—pet peeve, superstition, or ridiculous habit your crew loves to clown you for?
Don't say "lapin" or "corde" out at sea. Or if you do, spit in the water to avoid the bad juju.
Describe the last session or ride where you knew one bad decision could wreck you—but you went anyway. What pulled you through?
I vividly remember a very wide wave at Jaws. A part of me definitely thought I would not make it and the wave would crash on me. But I had been working with a hypnosis coach that winter and explored my fears and built my confidence at the subconscious level. I remember hearing my panicked thoughts of what would happen after the wave would crash on me, how gnarly the wipe out would be, but meanwhile a quieter part of my brain was still in control of my body, it held on and picked a line and I got through. It was a trippy almost schizophreniac moment.
What do you read first: the ocean/terrain, your body, or your headspace—and how does that order keep you sharp?
Ocean/terrain first but sometimes if the headspace isn't right or my instincts tell me "not today", I listen, even if I can't fully explain why.
When a swell or line doesn’t look “safe” but still calls your name, what’s your internal green light to send it?
Whenever we do something risky, we're going to hear mixed signals. The hard part is knowing when to push through fear and when to listen to it. I think training your mind helps, staying regularly in touch with your inner voice, acting with intention. Whether it's a small daily choice or a wave that looks objectively dangerous, if you don't practice making intentional decisions, it's easy to let the world decide for you. And sometimes that keeps you safe. But is being safe your ultimate goal?
What’s one lesson the ocean or the trail taught you the hard way that you still carry every day?
Be humble. And yet own your power.