Going left in Fiji is required. Mancuso has worked hard to better that backhand. Photo: Courtesy Julia Mancuso
Relishing the sublime moments of daily life on idyllic Tavarua Island – while raising three young children along with her husband Dylan Fish – Olympic skiing champion Julia Mancuso works on her surfing nearly every single day.
Contrasting the 14 seasons that Mancuso spent traveling the World Cup ski circuit charging down icy slopes at breakneck speeds, the retired 41-year-old ski racer now enjoys her sporting pursuits a tad slower, yet equally as exhilarating on the revered waves off the tiny South Pacific island in Fiji.
Mancuso began surfing at age 18, but only rode waves about three weeks a year until well into her 30s, having overcome painful hip injuries and extensive surgeries that ultimately ended her skiing career in 2018. The four-time Olympian and four-time Olympic medalist (one gold) – who has won more medals than any other U.S. female ski racer in history – finds parallels between competitive skiing and surfing.
“In surfing, there’s a lot of adrenaline and nerves, just like skiing, so it’s being able to tame that and calm the mind and if you have the love of water as a ski racer, I feel like the fear factor is out the door,” Mancuso tells The Inertia, from her home in Tavarua. “You don’t want to surf small waves, you want to surf big waves because you’re so used to riding big mountains and going fast.
“That is something that I’ve always been drawn to – I want to surf bigger waves, they’re slower, but more fun and easier to catch. Tavarua is a magical place to do that.”
Recently, Mancuso caught some waves at her favorite break, Restaurants, alongside surfing icon and fellow Olympian John John Florence.
“Seeing someone like John enjoy it so much – these were shoulder to head-high waves, not the crazy barrels at Cloudbreak, and that’s what is cool about him and his adventures. It really is more about the enjoyment of being out in nature,” Mancuso says. “It shows how pure the sport can be still and it’s fun to watch him make it look so effortless. For me, surfing is all about the vibe. That session in particular, there was just a few of us out, it was glassy, getting low tide, and that’s when it’s really fun.”
However, daily life on the heart-shaped 29-acre island encompasses more than catching waves for Mancuso. Her three young children – sons Sonny and Brody, nearly ages six and four, and one-year-old daughter Rise – consume the majority of her time. The fearless mom shares the total bliss of the stunning white-sand beaches, turquoise blue waters, and enchanting nature of the lush forested island with her kids.
Yep, hard to beat. Photo: Courtesy Sarah Lee
“I’ve learned to just lead them by example – spending time in the ocean and having the kids watch us surf and go foil, I’m trying to get them excited about water sports and hope that’s what drives their ambitions to want to do it,” Mancuso says. “Living on a small island is a challenge – they go through phases and sometimes they don’t want to surf and there will be weeks where they just want to play in the jungle.
“We’ve built a mini pre-school kids club area where they have their toys and art, and then Thursdays are cultural nights where we cook traditional food underground in the lovo, husk coconuts and make coconut milk, and they also help serve the Kava,” she says, referring to Fiji’s intoxicating coffee ritual.
While Julia is busy entertaining their kids – along with boatloads of friendly help from their fellow island natives – Dylan, her husband of nine years, oversees daily operations at the private surfing resort.
They’ve been married since 2017. Dylan, a gifted surfer himself, started as a volunteer guide on Tavarua more than 20 years ago, shortly after graduating high school in Maui. They first met when Mancuso visited Tavarua on a surf trip to celebrate her 30th birthday.
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“I didn’t know the difference between downhill and slalom, and certainly didn’t know who Jules was,” Dylan admits. “This girl with blue hair, dressed as Wonder Woman, gets out of the boat. I was just shaking my head and rolling my eyes thinking this is going to be an interesting week – these people are a little bit crazy.”
Turns out the couple matched up pretty well, and they now split time between the island and the mountains of Colorado and California. They’ve certainly provided their young brood with a special life.
“It’s exciting to bring the kids up in such a different culture,”says Julia. “I love the Fijians and they are so good with kids, so it’s really like they’re being raised by the village.”
Along with the immense joys of living in the tropical paradise, Mancuso and family have embraced the varying elements of the island’s distinct culture and lifestyle. In fact, she admits that she has only taken one trip to the main Fijian island of Viti Levu – a 15-mile boat ride away – over the four months of their current visit.
“It’s actually kind of embarrassing that I’ve only gone once in four months – in reality, we’re living off grid, but we’re also pretty spoiled here,” she says, with a laugh.
Mancuso and family are preparing to depart Fiji, at least for the time-being. They’ll spend time in Maui, before returning to her childhood home near Lake Tahoe and eventually onward to Aspen later in the winter season. It is a nomadic lifestyle that they’ve all embraced.
When not pursuing waves, the most decorated U.S. female Olympic skier ever also runs her sports clothing apparel company, Akova, and coaches youth ski camps in the winter.
Julia is also planning a return to the Winter Olympics in seven months from now, as Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – a historic ski resort with a daunting racing piste that she thrived on during her competitive days – hosts the XXV Olympic Winter Games, in February 2026. The northern California skier achieved her first two World Cup podiums at the Italian Dolomites resort at age 21, and also finished her lengthy career there, making her final run while wearing a Wonder Woman costume.
“It’s my absolute favorite place to be and favorite course in the world – I wish I was still competing,” she says of Cortina, her competitive fire still obvious.
New adventures and untapped athletic pursuits undoubtedly await the free-spirited and athletically-gifted competitor and mom, who was known as “Super Jules” throughout her ski career. The Mancuso clan will return to paradise in Tavarua for another four-month stretch next year. The fearless, hard-charging former racer believes that her best surfing is still in front of her.
“I’m always learning, falling and still improving, even though I’m 40,” Mancuso says. “My absolute favorite inspiration is Layne Beachley – she’s in her 50s and I love surfing with her. It is so inspiring seeing this woman still charging.
“We have so many tools now to keep us young, so I’m pretty excited to keep pushing my surfing – my goal is to get properly barreled at Cloudbreak by the time I’m 50.”
What a way to end the day. Photo: Courtesy JM
