Women of the waves

Picture surfers and certain images spring to mind: strong, tanned men running down the beach – always running – with their surfboards under their arms.

Move over Kelly Slater; there’s another breed of surfer on the beach challenging this stereotype. In their thirties and forties, women are ditching the sunbathing spots and opting to hit the waves themselves.

Female surfing has continued to grow over the years and is fast becoming a booming industry. While it is not a new trend, it is definitely growing and is continually getting more coverage.

Pietra Brettkelly started surfing in her forties after a friend gave her a surfing lesson for Christmas. The independent filmmaker grew up at Ohope Beach, in the Bay of Plenty, but never had the confidence when she was younger to give surfing a go.

“It was an intimidating, male-dominated sport that guys certainly didn’t encourage,” says the 42-year-old.

Fast forward several years, and maturity left Pietra thinking, “I don’t give a shit!”

After her first lesson, she was hooked, and surfed every day for the next two weeks. It was an instant love affair with the sport that has left Pietra questioning why she took so long to get into it.

“If you love the water, it is just an amazing feeling,” she says. “I have never picked up a sport that I loved so much straightaway.”

Pietra enjoys surfing with other women as they don’t take themselves too seriously. She likes being able to paddle out and talk in between waves with girlfriends and have a laugh. While it is fun, she is also hooked and determined to push herself each time she goes out in the water.

Editor of female surfing magazine Curl, Lynne Dickinson has seen an increasing trend in older women surfing. She gets emails from readers as young as seven and as old as women in their sixties.

“There is definitely an increase in older ladies surfing and there is also a huge increase in older women reading the magazine, even if they don’t surf, because they often buy it for their daughters,” she says.

Lynne started surfing when she was 14, but at 15, after one wipeout too many, became more cautious and stopped. She didn’t get back into the sport until she was 39, when her husband bought her a surfboard for her birthday.

With a passion for the outdoors, Lynne is attracted to sports that provide a great backdrop. “With surfing you are always in such a beautiful place and normally, when I go out, the sun is shining and the ocean is such a picturesque place,” she says.

Her drive to be more competent at surfing inspires her to keep improving. “I like that you are always learning with surfing and that no matter whether you are really good or just a beginner, you can get enjoyment out of surfing.”

Taranaki local, Paige Hareb has made surfing history by becoming the first female New Zealander to make it on to the world Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) tour. The tour is made up of the world’s top 17 female surfers who compete against each other at seven different locations around the world.

At just 19, Paige is currently rated seventh among the world’s top surfers and is pushing the boundaries of women’s surfing.

“I’m stoked to be in this new generation of women coming through. It’s the best women’s surfing the sport has seen and it just keeps getting better and better,” she says. “I think the sport has a lot of room to grow – media, sponsorship and skill wise. All round it’s getting bigger!”

Paige’s ultimate goal is to become world champion a
nd she has a personal goal to finish at least in the top five in the world this year. Paige says it can be hard for women learning to surf in New Zealand as there are not always perfect, clear, one-to-two foot waves rolling in nicely for them to cruise along on when they begin.

“Surfing is definitely a sport that looks a lot easier than it is, so persistence is the key,” she says.

“Laugh when you fall off. Water is softer than concrete and remember, even the world champions fall off, so get out there!”

Arna Rose Solomon set up Hinewai Surfing Mums in Raglan after meeting with a group of women in a coffee group. The mother of two had been a keen surfer before she had kids, but once they were born and her partner was at work, she had no time.

“I didn’t even like coffee – I wanted to get out there and surf,” she says. She suggested the idea with others at the coffee group and found many of them were keen to form a surfing group. Hinewai Surfing Mums was created and the group now has a huge following with 240 members on Facebook.

Meeting every Friday at Manu Bay in Raglan, the group sets up a space with their babies and children, each taking turns surfing, socialising and looking after the kids. “Husbands and partners like it too as their women are surfing [and] getting exercise,” says Arna Rose.

All of the women are at differing levels with some pro surfers and some ultra beginners. The group held its first competition this year for all the women involved with the group. The whole of Manu Bay was blocked off for the event which drew a lot of support.

Arna Rose says it was the first time Manu Bay had ever been blocked off for women only, so obviously a few men were a bit put out. But, in general, “the support was amazing”.

The group is looking forward to another similar event in 2010.
Another woman riding the waves is Sue Garland who bought a surfboard as a gift for her husband. Once he began surfing, their 10 and 6-year-old sons and 8-year-old daughter also developed an interest in learning to surf.

“I decided I may as well get on the bandwagon too,” she says.
The 46-year-old shift nurse says it’s been great to learn something new. She says it’s different at her age because she no longer gives a hoot what she looks like or the gear she has.

“For me it’s a no pressure sport,” she says. “It’s a fun thing to do at the beach.” Sue says it has been a great thing to do together as a family and surfing has become an activity they all enjoy learning with each other. She sees surfing as economical – needing just the gas in your vehicle once you have the basic equipment.
Pete Anderson says he often comes across families similar to the Garlands. The Whangamata-based board shaper makes a lot of surfboards for older guys reconnecting with surfing when their kids are learning. “It can turn into a whole family thing, which is cool,” he says. But Wellington surf coach Simon Parkin says people need to remember that surfing is a very physical, extreme sport.

“You need to have a good basic fitness level before you start,” he says. He recommends things like swimming and yoga as good complementary training. Auckland-based yoga teacher Catherine Boyle says the beauty of incorporating yoga with surfing is that yoga too, works with body mass.

“Surfing is similar as you are lifting your own body,” she says. “Incorporating yoga really helps you to get your body in line.”

Catherine grew up at Mount Maunganui but didn’t get into surfing until she was 28. The day after her father died, a friend picked her up and took her out to Piha. It was a special moment and sparked an interest that has continued to grow.

Female surfers have long been riding waves and, contrary to the images we have of muscled surfer dudes, early explorers to Hawaii spoke of beautiful women riding longboards towards the shore. Their beauty was legendary and whispers of these mystical women were being told far across the seas.

Historian Ben Finney wrote that a large percentage of wahines of early Hawaii were skilful surfers, and sometimes champions. Early engravings of the sport were full of half-dressed island girls perched on surfboards at the top of a curling wave.

Get out there!
If you are interested in surfing, there are several things you need to do to get started:
First, you will need a board. This doesn’t need to be hugely expensive and it can be picked up secondhand on Trade Me. Alternatively, many surf shops carry a range of boards. Get some advice on the kind of board that is right for you from people working in a surf shop. There are different boards for different body weights so remember, buoyancy is your friend.
New Zealand water is cold so it’s a good idea to have a wetsuit to keep you warm.
Pick sunny days with small one-to-two foot waves when you first start out.
There are many different surf schools and teachers around New Zealand. Having a lesson or two can be very beneficial.
Hinewai Surfing Mums is an open group on Facebook if you are a mum who would like to get into surfing.
New Zealand has a female surfing magazine, Curl, which is full of great tips and industry happenings.