Surfing Australia secures $1 million to enhance surfing’s accessibility for females

Surfing Australia has been awarded $1 million in federal funding for their ‘New Wave of Female Boardriders’ project to be delivered over the next three years and aimed at making surfing more accessible to women and girls across the country.

The funding will allow Surfing Australia to establish 50 new women’s boardrider clubs, provide free female judging, coaching and officials courses, host an annual women’s development camp at the Hyundai Surfing Australia High Performance Centre (HPC), and a range of other initiatives designed to support women’s surfing at every level.

The federal funding is delivered via the Play Our Way program, which is designed to remove barriers to women and girls participating in sport and physical activity.

Surfing Australia Chief of Sport - Events, Participation & Community, Luke Madden advised “this investment is a game-changer for women’s surfing. We’re creating a pathway that will see more women involved in surfing at every level - from beginners in local boardrider clubs to female coaches on the beach. It’s all about opening doors for more women to embrace surfing and stay connected, making the sport more inclusive for everyone.”

The Play Our Way funding will also enable Surfing Australia to establish a full-time National Women’s Participation & Club Development Officer and part-time Women’s Club Development Officers across the states. Surfing Queensland, Surfing NSW, Surfing Victoria, Surfing Western Australia, Surfing South Australia and Surfing Tasmania welcomed the funding and opportunity to play a role in boosting women’s participation in sport and create opportunities for future generations of female surfers.

Performance Coach, Belen Alvarez-Kimble, who founded Australia’s first all-female surf school Salty Girls Surf School in 2008 shared “this funding will create more opportunities for women to enter the water in a safe space, learn the rules, and then transition into boardrider clubs. It will open up so many great opportunities for women to progress their surfing to the next level. We’re incredibly fortunate to have this funding to support the next generation of young women in the water and provide them with the safe space they haven’t had before.”

Hannah Jessup, co-founder of the first all-female boardriders club on the Gold Coast, Surf Witches Boardriders Club added “we’ve seen a huge growth in women’s surfing, especially on the Gold Coast. Our memberships sell out every year, which reflects the demand for more clubs like ours. Women from all over Australia reach out to us, asking how they can start their own clubs, so I think this grant will have an incredible impact on the women’s surf community across the country.”

Jade Wheatley, president of Currumbin Alley Boardriders and surf coach advised “this funding from Surfing Australia will help more female surfers gain the confidence to join their local boardrider clubs or even pursue careers in the surf industry. As a female surf coach, I’ve had amazing support from male coaches, but now I see little girls who want to follow in my footsteps. This funding is super awesome, and I can’t wait to see how it empowers the next generation of female surfers.”

Phoebe Kane, one of Australia’s top female judges noted “the funding for judging programs will definitely encourage more young women to get involved in judging and officiating in surfing. This will make a big difference in boosting female participation in these roles.”

Image. Credit: Surfing Australia