Frank Chenault- COMPETITIVE SURFER
To some, surfing is seen as a hobby, a favorite pastime, while to some professional surfers, it is seen as a source or means to make a living. But to a man like Frank Chenault, it is all of that and so many more. For a man who grew up close to the water, the waves of the ocean mean so much more to him. To Frank Chenault, surfing is a way of life.
Frank Chenault got enthralled by the ocean’s waves and beauty in his teen days. Each day after school, Frank made it an obligation to teach himself how to catch waves by paddling out each day after school, and surfing just sort of grew on him. It was therefore not surprising that after Frank finished high school, he went off to pursue a career in surfing.
Frank’s career as a professional surfer kick-started when he joined the Western Surfing Association (WSA) around the age of 20. Upon joining WSA, he was privileged to compete as an amateur. This opportunity helped to show Frank’s uncanny aptness for the sport. His wonderful performance as an amateur further earned him a chance to compete at the state championships of the United States Surfing Federation.
Even though it was his first time as a competitor in the United States Surfing Federation’s state championships, Frank Chenault with his knack for the sport and a good amount of resilience, was able to earn a fourth-place ranking, which further qualified him for the National Competition in Hawaii, making him one of the very few who have been known to qualify for the National Competition in their 20s.
This success could be said to be some sort of turnaround for Frank as he had to relocate to Hawaii, where he competed in a number of Hawaiian Surfing Federation events before moving back to the West Coast when he got married. Wanting to give all his best to his marriage, he took a break from surfing professionally until 2003 when he made his comeback into the world of professional surfing.
Since relaunching his professional career in 2003, he has participated in several Association of Surfing Professionals events, including a competition on the Atlantic coast of France.