Sophie HELLYER
Sophie Hellyer is a cold-water swimmer, environmentalist, surfer and yoga teacher based in Cornwall.
SOPHIE GREW UP IN DEVON (UK) AND LOVED THE WATER FROM A YOUNG AGE. SHE BECAME A CHAMPION SURFER AND MODEL IN HER LATE TEENS BUT, AS HER CAREER HAS PROGRESSED, SHE PUSHED FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE SURFING CULTURE, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON FEMINISM AND DIVERSE REPRESENTATION.
She has also become a prominent spokesperson on ocean pollution, sustainability and ethical fashion. Sophie has written about these topics for publications such as The Independent, GQ Magazine, Glamour and Surf Girl. She even gave a TEDx talk in which she flashed her menstrual cup.
Sophie created the Rise Fierce collective, a cold-water community which empowers women through wild swimming and kinship. It began during an icy winter, several years ago, on the west coast of Ireland when she took a dip in the Atlantic Ocean without their wetsuits on. Two very chilly minutes later, Sophie realised the transformative power of cold water on her body and mind, and the value of spending a few precious minutes each morning bobbing in the ocean with other women.
Sophie now regularly hosts Rise Fierce retreats across the UK – incorporating wild swimming, surfing, yoga and women’s circles – where she encourages other women to jump in and rise up.
Sophie currently has over 43K followers on Instagram and has worked with brands such as AllBirds, Squarespace, Kathmandu and many more.
