Women in Surfing

feature Surfing the economic wave Women of the U.S. open Despite the athletic prowess of many female surfers, the sport still lags in equality. By HeatHer Skyler Carissa Moore of hawaii is lifted out of the water after defeating local surfer courtney conlogue in 2013, after a close women’s final at the Vans u.s. open of surfing. moore has won two u.s. open championships, her first Victory coming in 2010. 40 OC RegisteR MetRO august 2014 photo Kevin LaRa / OC RegisteR his year, the woman’s deadliest surf spots in the world – and an australian surfer who won the first place prize for win- the first woman to be inducted into u.s. open in both 1996 and 1998. ning the u.s. open of the surfing walk of fame, three years Beachley became known for surf- surfing will be $60,000. before Benson, in 1994. hoffman is ing big waves – 20-plus footers, to the male winner will take considered by many to be the first be exact – and was inducted into home $100,000. same waves, but female international surfing star. the surfing hall of fame in 2006. vastly different rewards. An impressive athlete and media the only woman to be named to And yet, not as vast a difference darling, hoffman was featured on the surfer magazine’s 2009 list of the as last year, when carissa moore, cover of life magazine in 1966 after “50 greatest surfers of all time,” 2013’s female winner, took home a winning the world championships, Beachley also earned the distinc- mere $15,000, compared with alejo and named “woman of the year” by tion, as of 2012, of earning the most muniz’s $100,000 prize. Disparities are the los angeles times in 1969. hobie in surfing prize money, racking up a decreasing but still exist. surfboards even introduced the Joyce total of $650,000. While there are a variety of reasons hoffman signature model in 1967! The u.s. open witnessed a dra- cited as to why this discrepancy in Not until lisa anderson arrived matic event in 1997, when hawaiian prize money is acceptable – corporate in the 1990s did any female surfer surfer rochelle Ballard showed sponsors favor male surfers, male surf- come close to matching hoffman’s incredible strength and determina- ers draw a larger audience, etc. – the popularity. tion during the semifinals after a pay difference illuminates the sexism But first there was the 1970s, giant wave pummeled her into the many feel is inherent in the sport. during which the huntington Beach huntington Beach pier. it nearly In a 2013 interview with redbull competition went on a long hiatus. in knocked her out, and she was imme- .com, carissa moore said, “the 1982, it relaunched with a new name diately taken to the hospital, covered women’s performance has been bet- and sponsor, becoming the op pro in scrapes and bruises. against hospi- ter than it ever has been, which is so championship throughout the 1980s tal orders, she competed in the finals exciting, but unfortunately the state and early 1990s. the next day – and won. of the tour for the women is the worst Florida surfer frieda Zamba domi- The year 2008 saw the youngest it’s ever been,” citing inadequate nated the women’s category through- final in the event’s history, between venues, pay inequality and near invis- out this period, winning in 1984, 1986, 17-year-old coco ho and 14-year- ibility in the mind of sports fans as 1989, 1990 and 1991. a popular surfer, old malia manuel, both from hawaii. detrimental factors. Zamba blurred the line between the manuel won the title, becoming the Despite these problems, the popu- performance of male and female event’s youngest champion. larity of women’s surfing continues to surfing and regularly outdid her male In 2009, 17-year-old o.c. local rise, and the sport features numerous competitors. she was inducted into courtney conlogue, of santa ana, excellent female surfers. you’ll be able the surfing walk of fame in 1998. won the women’s division. in 2010, to watch a few of these athletes com- In 1994, the competition was carissa moore took the top title; sally pete in huntington Beach this week, if renamed the u.s. open of surfing, and fitzgibbons won it in 2011, and lakey you’re willing to brave the crowds. lisa andersen, considered a role model peterson was the female champion The u.s. open of surfing began to many of today’s surfers, took the top in 2012. in 1959 (then known as the West prize. on the surfing scene since the Last year, hawaiian surfer carissa Coast Surfing Championship), and the 1980s, andersen didn’t really hit her moore won the u.s. open for a second first winner of the women’s division stride until after having her first child at time, and she is the current surfer was 15-year-old linda Benson, of 24. this life event propelled her career to watch. her extreme athleticism encinitas, who dominated the female forward, improving her wins and her and numerous early wins prompted category in the early years of the confidence. she said giving birth was, surfline.com to write this about moore: competition. she went on to win the “the worst, most painful thing ever,” “surfing may have finally found a girl open title five times, and won more adding, “everything’s easy after having who can not only play with, but also than 20 surfing titles between 1959 a baby.” andersen made the finals of beat the boys. as a 14-year-old in ’07, and 1969. Benson was inducted into a surfing competition just five weeks carissa beat out 57 of hawaii’s best the huntington Beach surfing walk of after giving birth. boys 16 and under, to become the first- fame in 1997 and was the first woman Quoted as saying she wanted to ever female winner of a quiksilver King to ever appear on the cover of a surf “surf like a guy,” surfer magazine put of the groms regional event. a year magazine. surf guide featured a andersen on the cover in 1996 – its first prior, she took down a stacked field 1963 shot of Benson stepping out of female-surfer cover shot since the early that included future ISA world Junior the water with the cover line, “linda 1980s – with a sly cover line directed champion Keanu aising in the Boys Benson: world’s greatest!” at its primarily male readership: “lisa 14 and under division of a rip curl In 1964, the huntington Beach andersen surfs Better than you.” gromsearch event. and perhaps the competition was renamed the united Andersen also had business savvy. cherry on top of it all: the girl scored a states surfing championship. soon under contract with roxy, the female perfect 10 in a men’s WQS contest.” after, Joyce hoffman hit the waves, division of quiksilver, andersen Moore appears to be on her way winning the event three years in a helped to design a female boardshort to becoming one of the best surfers, row, from 1965 to 1967, and again in that immediately became popular male or female, the world has ever 1970. a Dana point native, hoffman and de rigeur in surf fashion. seen. perhaps one day, her prize became the first female to surf the Another big surfing name dur- money will equal the male champion’s Banzai pipeline in hawaii – one of the ing the 1990s was layne Beachley, loot at a major event. august 2014 OC RegisteR MetRO 41.

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