The WSL has added a Women’s Championship event to the
2016/2017 Big Wave Tour for the very first time.
The event will run between October 15, 2016 and February 28,
2017, and will take place alongside the men’s event at either Jaws or Todos
Santos, depending on what spot throws up the best swell.
The invites to who will be competing in this event will be
up to the WSL commissioner for this first year event. Next year and each
successive year after, the women will be selected from the finishing positions
of 2016/17’s inaugural event.
This is a massive step for women’s big wave surfing, with
Mavericks charger Bianca Valenti saying:
“We got a little taste of big-wave competition in 2014, but
it just fizzled out, so this is great. I actually started crying when I found
out. Being a part of a big-wave event isn’t just something I’ve been thinking
about for a year or two. It’s been a dream for a long time. I talked to Gary Linden
earlier this year, and he told me that the best way to start a tour is to have
one event, just like they did in Biarritz for the Women’s Longboarding Tour,
and then it’ll be easier to build a following and gain sponsors for more
events.”
This could lead to more women hunting out the thrill of big
wave surfing by having the leading female big wave chargers on a public
platform, inspiring female groms to go for it to.
Bianca Valenti added:
“I think competition gives you a great
platform to progress. It’ll be great to have that media coverage to show other
young girls and women that anything is possible. This will give them something
to identify with, and more role models. Hopefully it’ll result in more women in
waves of consequence.”
If you want to push yourself into some bigger waves, we
offer fantastic surfing
holidays in some big wave paradises such as the lava slabs of Fuerteventura
and the sand-bottomed drainers of Puerto Escondido.
In the meantime check out the video below to see some of the top female surfers pulling in to massive and perfect waves.
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Photo by: Photo
by: Maya
