Some surfers discover the ocean later in life. For Liv Stokes, the call of the water has always been a part of her story—just not in the way you'd expect.
Born in California to a Canadian family, Liv has dual citizenship and deep roots in both countries. Her Canadian connection runs through her family line—from her dad, originally from Toronto, to her grandfather who grew up in Quebec. Though her parents once planned to move the family back to Canada, the waves of California had other plans.
“I started surfing when I was eight,” Liv shares. “After spending the summer in Muskoka canoeing and kayaking, my mom just put me and my older sister in surf lessons and I fell in love!” That love quickly turned into a passion. Instead of a party, she asked for a surfboard for her birthday—and hasn’t looked back since.
Now 23, Liv is carving out a name for herself in the world of competitive longboarding. She’s currently ranked 2nd in North America by the World Surf League and is gearing up for a critical competition in May that could qualify her for the WSL World Longboard Tour. She’s also set to compete in the ISA World Longboard Championships this April, after coming just one spot shy of the podium last year.
Though longboarding was recently rejected for the Olympics, Liv is eyeing the 2027 PanAmerican Games in Lima, Peru, determined to continue representing Canada at the highest level possible.
“Everyone, from the coaches, to the administration, to my teammates, offer nothing but unconditional support. We are each other's cheerleaders,” she says of Surf Canada, the organization that helped her pursue the sport professionally.
But Liv’s ambitions don’t stop at surfing. A proud UCLA graduate, she’s currently working toward a Master’s in Teaching and hopes to balance her academic path with her professional surfing career.
Her late grandfather John Stokes, who discovered the Canadian National Surf Team and encouraged her mom to look into it, remains one of her biggest inspirations. “It was always his dream to have one of his granddaughters represent Canada,” she says. “I am so proud every day that I am surfing for him and my entire family.”
Help Get Team Canada to the Championship
Liv and her fellow Canadian teammates—Carolyn Day, Rusty Goyer, and David Schiaffino—are preparing to represent Canada at the ISA World Longboard Championships in April 2025. With no funding available from Surf Canada this year, the team is relying entirely on community support to cover travel, lodging, and competition expenses. They're aiming to raise $10,000—just $2,500 per team member. If you'd like to help Liv and Team Canada chase their dreams and make history on the world stage, you can contribute to their GoFundMe campaign here.
Whether she’s catching waves in California or spending summers at her family’s cottage in Muskoka, Liv Stokes is riding toward her future with purpose—and a whole lot of heart.
