In 2018, Alana Blanchard won the Surfer Poll Awards after spending most of her year at home raising her first child.

She was ahead of newly crowned seven-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore and former defending champions Carissa Moore and Tyler Wright.

In the men’s race, her husband Jack Freestone, who competed in the QS throughout the year, came second behind John Florence and one place ahead of Kelly Slater. Something suspicious?

Blanchard began her acceptance speech with “Thank you very much, I definitely didn’t expect that,” and concluded with a slightly uncomfortable expression: “Thank you very much for voting for me.” As she should.

The power Surffluencer The vote was convincing with the support of a growing online fan base – now 1.6 million on Instagram alone – who eagerly embrace every broadcast from the former CTer.

In what may be a natural progression for some modern professional surfing careers, Blanchard trades in her one-piece swimsuit for a military uniform at Fox Special Forces: The Toughest Test in the World.

The Season 3 cast reads like a “Where are they now?” list, with NFL veterans Cam Newton and Golden Tate, Olympians Marion Jones and Nathan Adrian, and Pink’s husband Carey Hart. Of course, there are also the requisite reality TV repeat offenders, including Denise Richards and a few more The Bachelor Alumni – as well as Brody Jenner, husband of a popular internet surfing personality and winner of The ultimate surfer Reality series, Tia Blanco.

The show will challenge 16 recruits in grueling environments that simulate the top-secret military selection process and test their physical, mental and emotional resilience. However, aside from the bragging rights, the winner receives no other prize. The premise promises to reveal the celebrities’ deepest and truest selves – although presumably with far better catering than the real military.

The series, filmed in Wales, is scheduled to premiere on Fox on January 8 and run for five weeks.

Blanchard witnessed a friend’s shark attack, earned her place in some of Hawaii’s toughest lineups, and tackled the daily triathlon of raising two children in two nations. Maybe Blanchard is just braver than the average reality star.

And like in 2018, a surprise victory cannot be ruled out.