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- Who Is Felicity ‘Flick’ Palmateer? Everything You Need to Know About the Australian Survivor Contestant
Who Is Felicity ‘Flick’ Palmateer? Everything You Need to Know About the Australian Survivor Contestant
Instagram / @flickpalmateer
If you’re like us, you’ve been absolutely obsessing over the first look trailer for Australian Survivor: Brains Vs. Brawn. We can’t get enough!
We’ve been trying to learn everything we can about the first line-up of announced contestants, and everything we can about the filming location.
This brings us to Felicity Palmateer, the big wave surfer introduced to us as ‘Flick’ in the trailer.
Being a pro athlete in such a dangerous sport, it’ll be no surprise to you that she’s on the Brawn tribe, but did you know she used to be an ambassador for Braun, the shaving company? Fun!
Born in Perth, Palmateer grew up surfing with her father and brothers and entered her first competition when she was 12.
“My dad, he’s a really keen surfer, and I have three younger brothers,” she told USANA. “He was actually taking my brothers out for some father-son time to teach them how to surf. But I was like, ‘hey, I want to learn.’ So I grabbed a boogie board and started to try to stand up by myself.”
Big wave surfing is an intense sport, to say the least. Surfers take on waves that are at least 20ft high, and in 2015, Palmateer became the first female surfer to rise the biggest wave at Cow Bombie (aka Cowaramup Bombora), WA. Waves there can reach up to 40ft!
Surfers also need to be competitive and thrill-seeking, and Palmateer certainly has those qualities; she’s been a strong competitor in the World Qualifying Series for years now.
“The only opportunity you have to be brave is when you’re scared,” she told USANA. “When I take off on a wave out there, everything goes quiet.”
“You’re learning how to manage fear and stress, and how to not react on an emotional level,” she continued. “Trying to manage the fear is the most exciting to me, because it’s challenging.”
We’re expecting that this approach to life will also serve her well during challenges on Survivor!
Palmateer doesn’t like to share too much about her personal life online, but she does post pics with her long-time partner Mitch Gimm every so often.
However, in a story similar to fellow contestant Gavin Wanganeen, Palmateer is also a keen artist.
In fact, art is a family affair for the Palmateers; Flick’s dad is well-known ceramicist Warrick Palmateer, and her mother Pauline studied fashion design.
Speaking to Carve Mag, she described her journey into the art world as “cathartic, beautiful and challenging.”
“The process was incredibly empowering,” she shared. “By embracing my femininity it helped immensely with my self-esteem and self acceptance.
“The ocean has been my playground, it has shaped my life since I was young; as has art.”
Australian Survivor: Brains Vs. Brawn premieres soon on 10 and 10Play.
