Beard, who is vegetarian, is also a staunch activist for animals, acting as spokeswoman for Defenders of Wildlife. She also participated in an anti-fur campaign for PETA, where she posed nude – for a second time, after us – in front of an American flag. 

Somehow, the alluring athlete finds time for fun as well. Which for her means death-defying action, adrenaline and activity. Beard is a fanatical motorcyclist, an aspiring surfer, a daredevil snowboarder, an occasional race car driver and fierce paintball player. “I know a lot of athletes who are like, ‘Oh, I can’t ride a motorcycle. I can’t go skydiving. I can’t do this and that because it’s in my contract,’” she says, shaking her head. “I have nothing in my contract that says I can’t do anything. These are things that give my life color and fun, and if I take them away, I’m not going to be happy.”

Beard’s dazzling good looks and athletic prowess have prompted a portfolio of lucrative business opportunities. She has modelled for Speedo, appeared in a commercial for GoDaddy, and has worked as a correspondent for The Best Damn Sports Show Period, covering major sporting events. 

 “I’d always been asked whether I would do Playboy, and I was unsure about it,” she muses during her wet and wild pictorial. “I talked to my agent, to my dad, I talked to my boyfriend, and finally it was like, You know what? It’s flattering that they want me to be in such an iconic magazine. It’s a huge honor, and I’m not going to have this body much longer. I’m just going to go for it.”