Pauline King's article on Betty Heldreich ran in the April 15, 1957, edition of the Honolulu Advertiser. This version has been slightly edited.

In two and a half years, Mrs. Ronald Heldreich went from surfing novice to winner of the women’s international surfing event held on March 23, in Lima, Peru. "I’ve flown gliders and airplanes and participated in all kinds of sports, but I’ve found the greatest thrill in surfing,” Mrs. Heldreich said. “It’s a completely individual sport. You carry on alone. The waves are the only partner you need.”

Perhaps Hawaii’s outdoor life was one of the reasons Mrs. Heldreich convinced her husband to move to the islands. She had come here to visit her brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold E. Smith of Honolulu and Molokai, several years ago.

On her return to Pomona, California, she convinced her husband to move their family and his business to Hawaii in 1954. Ronald Heldreich is a jewel manufacturer and importer, designer and goldsmith. With the assistance of his wife, he makes jewel pieces under the name Roni of Hawaii.

Mrs. Heldreich does wax sculpturing for the design. The intricate work in pieces that are often an inch or less in size can be very taxing, comment- ad the soft-spoken Mrs. Heldreich. “That's why surfing is an important alternative interest for me. I go surfing almost every day. It's very relaxing, wonderful for the health. I come back and can eat anything and as much as I want without worrying. 

The slim athletic woman over 40 years old took a few surfing lessons from Charlie Amalu when she first arrived in Hawaii. Since then she has perfected her aquatic talents until she was placing in the Makaha and Diamond Head races. 

Mrs Heldreich was instrumental in getting a Hawaii team to go to Lima for this meet. [Fundraising] subscriptions were raised for team members, but her interest was so great she financed her own trip. "They treated us just like royalty,” she said. “We spent every day at Club Waikiki in Miraflores, owned by Carlos Dogny, the surfing enthusiast. We were there three weeks doing exhibition surfing almost every day.

"In Lima, they mix their sports activities with pleasure. We didn’t arrive [from Hawaii] until early in the morning, but our friends and a band stayed up all night to meet us [at the airport]. One night they gave us a Peruvian-style luau. Another evening, we were given a wonderful party at the fabulous International Club.

"The race itself was the most maddening kind. The waves there are short and choppy because the ocean wind makes the waves break faster. In the 1,000-meter race that I won, you can only paddle to catch a wave. If you lose a wave you have to just sit and wait for another. I was just lucky. I caught three waves one right after the other."

Mrs. Heldreich says that surfing as a sport is becoming well-known and popular. South American newsmen came to Peru to encourage the island group to visit Brazil, Venezuela and Ecuador to start the sport there. 

“Five surfers from Peru are coming to Hawaii in the fall. And we expect to make this competition an annual one,” Mrs Heldreich beamed.

The Heldreichs have two daughters, Victoria, 16, and Gloria, 12, both of whom surf. Recently the family bought a country home. Where? At Makaha, on the beach. 

"SURFING CHAMPION BACK FROM PERU," HONOLULU ADVERTISER (1957)

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