Lola Styles part of a strong Port Macquarie contingent competing at Ride The Wave on June 18

Throw in some added inspiration from her father Dwayne and older brother Maddox and it comes as little surprise she is one of the favourites for next month's Ride The Wave festival in Port Macquarie.

Surfing contest director Wayne Hudson is one of the best people to form that opinion having coached her for the last three-and-a-half years.

Ride the Wave aims to be a premier surfing and skateboarding event with the region to welcome over 150 competitors and their families.

Styles admitted tucking her surfboard under her arm, walking down the beach and paddling out is one of her favourite past-times.

"Surfing is a bit of me-time which gets all my worries out because sometimes I get worried about school projects and everything and then I go out surfing and forget about it," she said.

"I love achieving my goals in surfing; I love getting out there, getting in the lineup ... I love surfing with friends and having fun in the water."

The Port Macquarie youngster will compete in the under-12 and under-14 girls' divisions at the event which will run at Lighthouse Beach, Flynns Beach or Town Beach from June 18-20.

A lack of events in 2021 due to the pandemic has enabled Styles to throw her hat into the ring in an attempt to gain as much competitive experience as possible.

"I have to make the most of my competitions," she said.

"I'm going to mainly try the under-12s but I'm going to try the 14s although it's just for an extra run. I want to try and get on the podium."

She has stars in her eyes and has the long-term ambition of attempting to follow in the footsteps of South Coast surfer and back-to-back world champion Tyler Wright.

"When I'm older I want to get to the pro level," she said.

"I look up to Tyler because she's so strong and has fought through a lot and she's a great surfer. She's really inspiring."

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