She and her husband Lee Kenworthy have four children under five - and so surfing has taken a back seat to parenthood, and to her vocation as a worker in the disability field.

But in a speedy rise to the upper reaches of Australian women's surfing a little over a decade ago, Haggerston peaked with a first place, aged 17, in the national women's titles at the famed Margaret River break in WA in 2008, and a place in the Australian team at the world titles in Ecuador the following year.

THE STORY SO FAR:

Haggerston grew up at Coal Point and started surfing at 13. She progressed quickly, and cites the influence of the high-profile Philippa Anderson, as a friend and mentor, but also a frequent opponent in competition.

"She was the one to beat when I was growing up!" the natural-footed Haggerston said this week.

Haggerston also pushed herself in big waves, making three trips to Hawaii in the late 2000s, including a training camp with other women surfers run by Manly's 1988 world champion, Barton Lynch.

"My dad said if you are going to take competing seriously you need to commit to it," Haggerston said.

"He sent me over there with Barton. There were five of us there for a month, Barton would tow us in on the jetski."

Like a lot of the women at the time, Haggerston said the travel costs of travelling on the world circuit - at a time when prizemoney was usually a fraction of the men's - took their toll.

"Once I won the Australian titles, with all those pressures I mentioned, I fell out of love with competing. You look at everything you've sacrificed to get to that point, and wonder if it's all worth it."

Haggerston also found fulfilment out of the water. She found a carer in the disability sector, which gave her the enjoyment of "looking after other people".

She still keeps tabs on the pro tour.

"What the girls are doing now is pretty amazing. Well beyond where we were when I stopped after Ecuador. They're surfing as good as the guys!"

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