Surfers Work for Gender Equality in the World’s Most Famous Waves

“My view of the overall picture is that women’s equality takes a long time because we’re only getting the investment today,” she said. Indeed, men have competed at Pipeline since an inaugural contest was held in 1971. “Give us 50 years of insane money and equality and access and value and inclusive lineups, and you’ll have a pretty similar product.”

In December 2020, after a fatal shark incident involving a recreational surfer at Honolua Bay, Maui, the World Surf League moved its women’s year-end championship tour event to Pipeline. The historic move would soon become part of the regular schedule. Wright became the first woman to win a championship tour event at Pipeline, defeating the Hawaiian Carissa Moore in the final heat.

It was a defining moment for Jessi Miley-Dyer, the chief of sport at the World Surf League. “After that competition, I knew that we had to have women at Pipeline,” she said. Miley-Dyer, a former professional surfer on the world tour, said the organization had been rebuilding the women’s tour since new ownership took over in 2013.

“For a lot of people who were watching, and the crew on the beach, it was so emotional to see that come to fruition when you have been looking at it and wanting it for such a long time,” Miley-Dyer said.

This year, the World Surf League began hosting its championship tour at the same spots for men and women. Wright has already seen an increase in women paddling out to Pipeline.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/sports/surfing-pipeline-women-oahu.html