These world class surfers are intrepid and competitive, riding the waves to the top of their profession. Awaiting them there are fewer comps and lower payouts than those offered to the guys, but plenty of offers to the gals to appear on calendars or lists of the hottest women surfers.
Women’s surfing has grown and improved, with better organization, more support and a greater number of competitions with larger payouts. Growth has given rise to a whole cottage industry from surf camps that lure women with promises to give them back their girlhoods to clubs and niche magazines.
As the numbers of female surfers has grown, there are five rising stars who should be fun to watch compete this year.
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Sally Fitzgibbons
Sally showed her mettle early in life, winning the top spot at the Association of Surfing Professionals Junior Open Event at the apparently not so tender age of 14. She already was a tough competitor, but had entered just to have fun. She began the season as the number one ranked woman surfer by the Association of Surfing Professionals, the fifth year that she has been on the ASP World Tour. Fitzgibbons was just edged out of the top spot at the March Roxy Pro Gold Coast competition by another, rising star Tyler Wright.
Tyler Wright
Australian, Tyler had a rough season last year, but still ranked at unlucky 13 at the beginning of the 2013 season by ASP, came back on scene with a vengeance, grabbing the win from lead Sally Fitzgibbons at the Roxy Pro Gold Coast during the final push . Wright is a five time leader of the International Surfing Association, and, with her early win on the World Tour, certainly a force to be reckoned with.
Stephanie Gilmore
Stephanie, the reigning five time ASP Women’s World Champion, topped the list of ten qualifiers from the 2012 season.
Courtney Conlogue
Courtney, 20, AKA Tiger or Court, from Southern California, started the 2013 season at third in the ASP Women’s World Rankings.
Alessa Quizon
Lessa, from Hawaii, started surfing at age seven, competing at ten. Formerly a wild card competitor, at the beginning of this year as she turned just 19, she was ranked fourth in the world by ASP.
As the hunt for the 2013 ASP Women’s World Title continues, you can follow these and other women surfers on facebook and twitter.
Abi lives in Cornwall, the top surfing location in the United Kingdom. Abi writes for Fellow Way, purveyors of the finest quality tailored swim shorts and surfing accessories.