Over 170 female surfers of all ages and abilities gathered in Kiama for the second 2023 Her Wave Teams Classic supported by Sisstrevolution event. A tag team surfing competition that showcased the strength, skills, and camaraderie of women in the water. Her Wave Teams Classic Kiama consisted of 21 teams of 8 (or more) competitors, which saw an all female line-up from dusk til dawn on the shores of South Jones Beach all weekend.
After a heartfelt Acknowledgement to Country by Aunty Joyce who recognised the strong representation of women standing before her on Dharawl land, the first heat was buzzed into the water and the weekend was underway. Through tricky conditions, changing banks, heavy rainfall and pockets of sunshine, the stoke was undeniable. Competitors, teams and spectators were smiling from ear to ear whilst cheering on all participants and board divisions.
This weekend was a perfect example and reminder that the future of surfing is now. Kiama housed a star-studded line up of industry icons including 7x World Champion Layne Benchley, WSL Commentator & World Junior Champion Laura Enever and the next generation of professional pioneers Sierra Kerr, Anne Dos Santos and Hawaiian long boarder and conservationist Marissa Miller. Not only did the women encourage and support the Her Wave competitors, they participated in workshops, hosted expression sessions, provided tips and tricks and thorough enjoyed being a part of the Her Wave event.
“It’s so amazing to see so many females down here competing and enjoying the Her Wave event. Events like this were rare and never at this size when I was a grom, so it has blown my mind to see first hand the excitement and demand for events like this.” Enever explained.
After two incredible days of tag team competition, the YoungSurf team flaunted their matching wetsuits and carved their way to first place with a collective point score of 41.17, with the Werri Beach Darriens missing out on the win my a slim 2.33. The good times, prizes and words of encouragement did not stop with first place, as URBN Surf experiences, Beach Soul shower, Smooth Star skateboards and more were given out for the Her Wave of the Weekend, expression sessions, team spirit, and all six finalists.
Her Wave’s ethos is about encouraging and facilitating opportunities for females of all ages and abilities to enjoy and participate in surfing. The Her Wave team acknowledged that not all females are involved in a boardrider or female surfing club, which led to the creation of the ‘Her Wave Sisstr’s’. A team that consisted of individual competitors from Byron Bay, Manyana and Ulladulla who were able to enjoy the weekend and meet like-minded women. Marissa Miller and Anne Dos Santos also jumped in to compete for the Her Wave Sisstr’s and get amongst the action.
A plethora of female-led workshops provided as much action on the shore as what was seen in the water, with breath work, ocean photography, Surfers Rescue 24/7 + Tac Med courses and more on offer for the competitors and spectators to enjoy. Candice Land, founder of The Female Surfer, a female-specific surf conditioning and performance business enjoyed her time hosting a deep tissue and surf stretch workshop over the weekend.
“I just get goosebumps. It’s a true privilege for me to be a part of Her Wave and to see the momentum growing. This is not like any other surf event and it’s amazing to see so many women, empowering each other and using this time to learn a new skill by participating in a workshop whilst waiting for their heat.” Said Candice Land.
To celebrate the return of the Her Wave Teams Classic event to the Kiama region for the second year in a row, Her Wave partnered with Concrete Skate Supply, the leading body in the sport of skating. Concrete Skate Supply bumped in their skate ramps and had their talented skate coaches on deck for a massive Sunday of skate lessons and expression sessions for the local community and Her Wave participants. The team were accompanied by Santa Cruz professional skater Taniah Meyers who was amongst the action, coaching sessions all day and showcasing her ollies and skate style. In conjunction with the Kiama Council, Sunday’s activities quickly turned into festivities with tie dye stations, face painting, and live music.
The Her Wave Teams Classic Kiama presented by Sisstrevolution would not have been possible without the support of Regional NSW, Kiama Council, AVCON Projects, Carve, Club Med and Surfboards Souls Manly.
