Beachley Surf Classic Left High and Dry

Layne Beachley faces a $100,000 shortfall in sponsorship for the world's richest women's surfing contest, the Beachley Classic, after the NSW Government cut its sponsorship from $150,000 to just $35,000.

Former multiple Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Surfing Champion Beachley has struggled to find sponsorship for her signature event, although last year's major sponsor, the Commonwealth Bank, remains on board for this year's event.

New South Wales Legislative Assembly Wakehurst MP Brad Hazzard said the NSW Government's move undermines advances that have been made in promoting womenâs sport and NSW sportswomen have slammed it as unfair for women's sport.

Former Australian netball captain Liz Ellis was quoted in local newspaper The Manly Daily as saying "Layne provides a huge amount of inspiration for young women in Australia and she doesnât require a huge sum of money, so it's disappointing the (NSW) Government is not supporting her event to the extent it should be."

Held in October, the Beachley Classic, which Layne launched in 2006 is an ASP Womenâs World Tour surfing event featuring the Top 17 ranked women surfers in the world, plus one Wildcard entrant taken from the Oakley Trials event. Countries competing include Australia, USA, Peru, South Africa and Brazil.

11th June 2009 - BUSINESS OF SPORT CONFERENCE FOR SYDNEY