o Mark your confusion. o Purposefully annotate the article (1-2 mature, thoughtful responses per page to what the author is saying) o Write a response to the article.

Women surfers break a big-wave barrier in by Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff, 11/21/16

Since the late 1990s, the called Mavericks near Half Moon Bay in Northern California has held a famous big-wave contest. Called Titans of Mavericks, the contest has only had men compete in the treacherous surf off rugged Pillar Point.

This month, however, the California Coastal Commission shattered the difficult-to-see glass ceiling that has quietly blocked women from the world. The Commission is a government agency that protects the California shoreline from harm. They make sure the public has equal use of beaches. They also have the power to approve events that involve coastal resources. The commission required Titans of Mavericks to have a heat, or single contest round, for women if it wanted a permit for its 2016-17 contest.

The Commission's decision was agreed on by every member. It advanced the inroads women are starting to make in professional big-wave surfing.

Big-Wave Contest Is By Invitation Only "This is a great step forward for our sport, women's athletics and women. You know, it's about human rights," said Bianca Valenti. Valenti is a top female big-wave rider and co-founder of the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing.

The contest, which has been held nine times since 1998, is invitation-only. People can only participate if they are chosen. The people who are usually chosen are the 24 top male surfers from around the world. Huge waves arrive during the fall and winter. Then competitors get 48 hours' notice to report for the one-day event.

Mavericks is a top location for big-wave surfing. Conditions are perfect when groundswells, or huge and deep movements in the ocean, cross a crescent-shaped reef. These movements create beautifully formed waves. The waves can be three to four stories high, large enough to swallow small office buildings. They are thunderously loud, too.

Two or three women surfers have been selected as alternates in the Titans contest over the years. None of them competed in the event, though. Alternates get to compete if someone else who planned to compete drops out.

Organizers Agree To Continue To Include Females For this year's contest, the Coastal Commission granted a one-year permit to Titans of Mavericks. This was on the condition that a one-hour contest was created for six women to surf in. Titans also had to agree to continue work on further inclusion of female surfers.

The commission rejected its staff's recommendation of a four-year permit. That was what the contest's organizer, Cartel Management Inc., wanted. The commission sharply criticized the event for failing to prepare a detailed plan to include women. It had asked for this plan last year.

"We have reached a historic milestone in that a women's heat is being added at the Titans of Mavericks," said Commissioner Mark Vargas. Vargas has pushed for more female surfers at the event. "While it's great that we have a heat, that's not a plan."

In October, Cartel applied for a four-year permit and proposed an outreach program for women, commission officials said. The suggestion was later expanded to include a women's heat for the 2017-18 contest. Equal Access Was A Concern The commissioners were concerned that approving a contest without a women's heat could be considered denying equal access, or use of the coastline, to women.

Organizers eventually committed to a one-hour women's heat for six competitors and two alternates. They have promised $30,000 in prize money. They also proposed including women on the contest's seven-member selection committee.

Commissioner Martha McClure said she found it "disheartening in the soul of my being" that organizers seemed to add a women's heat only when it appeared they might not get their permit.

Commissioners said if the organizers came back with a comprehensive plan for women within the next year, they might consider a multiyear permit.

Several supporters asked the commission to add women. These include the , the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing, the Coastal Protection Network, the Brown Girl Surf organization and San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan.

Decision Keep Things Moving In The Right Direction Many called the addition of a women's heat a step in the right direction. However they wanted to see a traditional contest format with more heats, and prize money equal to what male competitors receive. They want representatives on the selection committee picked by female big-wave surfers.

Maverick's representatives said they supported including more women. Still, they remained concerned about pushing the limits of safety. They say these waves are bigger, colder and deadlier than at other surfing locations.

They estimated there are fewer than 10 professional female surfers able to compete at this level and said the tight contest schedule makes it difficult to add heats.

Women Have Played A Role In The Past "Since the beginning of the event, women have never been excluded from that," said Cassandra Clark, a member of the contest board. She said women have never been intentionally left out of the event.

Clark noted that women have been selected as alternates, judges and committee members.

Brian Waters of Cartel Management said organizers were not pleased with the one-year permit.

"This puts our business at risk and is damaging. ... We had a plan," Waters said.

The female surfers selected for this year's competition are Sarah Gerhardt, Jamilah Star, Emily Erickson, Paige Alms, and Andrea Moller. Valenti was picked as the first alternate.

Valenti's supporters believe she deserved to be chosen for the heat and that her designation as an alternate was political.

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Possible response options: ● Respond to this quote from Commissioner Mark Vargas and describe what it shows about Cartel Management Inc: “While it’s great that we have a heat, that’s not a plan?” ● Explain in your own words why Commissioner Martha McClure said she found it “disheartening in the soul of my being” that organizers added a women’s only heat. ● According to the article, what do people still disagree about? Explain. ● Pick a passage from the article and respond to it.