Karina Petroni is a professional traveler, adventurer, model, and freesurfer. She currently travels professionally internationally year round, documenting different cultures, events, and experiences while living part-time in The Bahamas.
Karina is a charismatic, and adventurous woman. Her Norwegian mother and American father moved to Panama after her father received a job to transition from being a sea captain to being a Panama Canal ship’s pilot. Shortly after they moved there, Karina was born and raised in the Canal Zone with the jungle as her backyard. The nautical and explorative spirit runs deep within her.
Karina has 15 years of experience in the surfing industry and 12 of them are when she was one of the best in the world. Karina was the top American female professional surfer in the world in 2008 and is still the last female from the East Coast of the United States to qualify for the World Championship Tour.
From a very young age, Karina has been endorsed by many big labels such as Roxy, Vans, Chevrolet, SoBe/Pepsi, Oakley, Casio and more. Karina is selective and meticulous about her image and the sponsors she represents.
She has appeared in publications like, Teen People, Teen Vogue, and FHM and has graced many of billboards along Sunset Strip in Hollywood.
Karina has been styled in couture by fashion giant Versace, and has collaborated with high-end New York fashion designer Rachel Roy.
Karina appeared in the 2009 Academy Award winning documentary “The Cove.” She has also represented Oceana, an oceans advocacy nonprofit organization which focuses on water/beach quality and marine sanctuaries.
Karina is now married to her amazing husband David and resides half of the year in the Central Exumas, Bahamas. Their life is filled with adventure, flying sea planes to surf, working in a marine salvage business and free-diving for fresh seafood every day.
Karina still loves to travel the world and collaborate with likeminded people and companies and continues documenting her passion of the ocean and this world through film and photographs. She is a serious health advocate, and incredibly active. She has spoken at numerous high schools to inspire young people to live a healthy, adventurous, dynamic lifestyle.
Karina is an individual who not only stands her ground but exudes star quality. Be it her amazing athletic ability, breathtaking beauty or charismatic spokes-model confidence, one can’t help being drawn to her luminous appeal.