Daisy Thomas wins Cleo Young Achiever Award!

A big congrats goes out to Christchurch surfer Daisy Thomas who has taken out CLEO's Young Achiever Award in association with Neutrogena for 2009.

Twenty-year-old Daisy beat out some strong competition from five super-talented young women — a singer/songwriter, youth worker, glaciologist and author — to win the $5,000 prize money to help fulfill her dreams.

Not only is Daisy aiming to win the World Title at the ISA World Surfing Games this year but she also wants to open her own training school for up-and-coming surfers in her area.

"I am often thinking up new projects but would love to develop a business and give the kids in the area I grew up surfing, the opportunities to fulfill their talents and reach for the stars," she says.

She also has ambitions to help the environment, get into travel journalism and learn Spanish.

"Life throws all sorts at you so I set goals and go hard for them," Daisy told CLEO. "But I am also flexible with opportunities that may need to be taken up along the line."

You can learn more about Daisy in the September issue of CLEO magazine, on sale now.

By Cleo staff