Becoming Westerly by Jamie Brisick

Becoming Westerly: Surf Champion Peter Drouyn's Transformation into Westerly Windina

• paperback, 280 pages
• free shipping (US only)
• http://outpost19.com/BecomingWesterly

In the sixties and seventies, Australian Peter Drouyn was one of the world’s greatest surfers. He pioneered an aggressive approach called “power surfing,” introduced the man-on-man competition format, and charged giant waves in Hawaii. A Zelig figure, he took on many roles—method actor, surf resort owner, wave stadium inventor, and modeling school founder to name but a few. About ten years ago the most unexpected change occurred: Peter became Westerly. “It was like a supernova,” remembers Westerly. “It just kicked in one night and bang, Peter was gone and Westerly was there.”

Beginning with her 2012 trip to Bangkok for gender reassignment surgery, Becoming Westerly traces Peter Drouyn's odyssey from pre-teen prodigy to global surf god to embittered has-been who struggles to rise again as the glamorous, phoenix-like, sixty-four-year-old Westerly.

"Renee Richards was the first prominent transgender athlete. Caitlyn Jenner surely is the most famous transgender with an athletic background. Westerly Windina may be the most fascinating. . ." - Jeff Baker, The Oregonian

"In 2009 Jamie Brisick, a surf journalist who had been aware of Peter, travelled to Australia to write a profile of Westerly, but what what consequently happened became a far greater story than that. . ." - CNN

"Westerly and Peter are two of the greatest characters to ever grace surfing, two titanic life stories, and with BECOMING WESTERLY Brisick has written incredible portraits of both. A story of the glory and terrible burden of ambition for greatness, and greatness unrecognized. Beautiful, sad, and full of hope." - Surfing World

For more reviews and excerpts: http://outpost19.com/BecomingWesterly