Wave ballerina

Liu Dan, one of China's first female surfers, tells Deng Zhangyu about getting thrown off her board, the life lessons to be learned in water and why she is passionate about clean oceans.

Surfer Liu Dan will never forget the day four years ago when she was nearly swallowed by 3-meter waves in the Philippines.

Liu and her board were dumped by the strong waves, her body was thrown around in the rough waters like a rag doll. Underwater, she panicked, fearing death. But seeing a friend surfing nearby gave her the power to regain her calm. She fought the rough ocean for half an hour before she succeeded in swimming to safety.