Today I could not be more proud to be a woman. yesterday we crowned the first ever Big Wave Women World Champion, Paige Alms, that has dedicated her life to surf big waves, to challenge herself and define boundaries of what women are capable of doing.
Paige is a self taught and self motivated surfer, which has had a love of big wave surfing since a very young age, and is a straight up BAD ASS. She has lived in Maui since the age of 9, and has chased big swells her whole life. I am so PUMPED that her dream is finally coming true.
Watching these girls tame Jaws, while huge waves rolled through the line up, made my heart beat out of my chest. I don't think any word can describe the feeling of sitting in a line up, watching a 20 foot wave roll in, & having the courage, the training, the dedication, to turn around and paddle to take off. I surely don't, but I can only imagine.
The closest I can relate, is sitting in the boat watching monstrous set roll in, while the noise of water crashing on the reef is as loud than a plane taking off. The amount of water moving, the powerfulness of the ocean, is indescribable. One of these waves can crush you, not only drown you. So imagine being out there, on your own, surrounded by only women.
Yesterday, these women defied their own limits and achieved their dreams. Yes, they CAN, and they DESERVE to be out there with the boys. I am so proud and amazed by these girls courage. What a day for Women Surfing.
Today I am proud. Girls will never be told 'You do not deserve to be in the line-up' ever again.
Who run the world? GIRLS!
Proud of all the bad-ass girls that surfed in the event, especially the girls that got injured but had a smile on their faces: Paige Alms, Justine Dupont, Felicity Palmateer, Keala Kenelly, Emily Erickson, Laura Enever, Polly Ralda, Andrea Moller, Silvia Nabuco, Bianca Valenti, Jamila Star & Tammy Lee Smith.
