22 March 2010

Women Who Surf Big Waves: Billabong XXL Video Highlights

Billabong XXL entries include locals Savannah Shaughnessy and Jamilah Star riding California bombs.

For a while, I've been asking why no women are invited to compete at Mavericks. This can be at least partly explained by the insular (incestuous?) method for choosing the competitors. According to @Mavericks_Surf, contestants from the prior year automatically return, and they select the rest. This doesn't give up-and-comers, including female big-wave chargers, much of a chance.

5 comments:

  1. Wow, these girls rock. Who's the dude dropping in on Keneala? Hmmmm....equality among the sexes, I guess we should be grateful it's not the dark old days but in reality - still a myth. I have been having a rant about it (not in relation to surfing) on my own blog.

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  2. Also not in relation to surfing, the New York Times just published this article. It's sad that so little has changed since I was in school.

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  3. Interesting article and nothing surprising. Certainly a pervasive issue. I find it quite frustrating trying to get even the 'nice guys' (like my own who really isn't chauvanistic) to see it.

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  5. The women simply do not have the experience. There are 50-100 guys that surf big waves at a higher level. The women don't spend enough time in the line up at mavs. Catch a couple of waves and getting a couple of photos for the XXL is different that competing for waves with the best in the world.

    The exception is Sarah Gerhart. She is solid. She has been on the alternate list.

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