2004-12-29
Url: Windy City Media Group

Most Americans are heading into winter, pulling out parkas and gloves. But some California women surfers are in wetsuits year round. Try not to be jealous.

The traditionally male-dominated sport has long been known as a turf war for locals at any beach, but a California women’s surf club is changing that.

“It’s scary to go out by yourself,” says San Franciscan Anne Moellering, who took up surfing seriously in 2001. “Lineups ( queues of surfers awaiting a ridable wave ) have typically been 80 to 90 percent guys, and they’re not very receptive to women going out.”

After asking around, but finding no women’s surf group, she met with friends, started a Yahoo Group, and organized social events. Now her group boasts almost 500 members.

Inspired by the Women’s Surf Festival, which had not been staged in a few years, Moellering and others organized the NorCal Women’s Surf Club, which led to an annual tournament. The NorCal Women’s Surf Fest—held in the small town of Pacifica, south of San Francisco—includes competitions for women in every age and skill category, from kids to seniors. There’s even a festive drag event for men, whose competitors this year included the town mayor.