Rain, wind, and the threat of even more flooding did not stop the Illawarra's first all-women surf comp, the Ocean Queen Classic, from going ahead on May 5 at Woonona Beach.
Despite the conditions, 40 women and girls took to the murky water to battle it out for the crown, some serious cash and fantastic prizes.
In the Open Women's division, Charli Hurst from Port Kembla surfed with flair all day to take out Oceanna Rogers (Shellharbour), Summa Longbottom (Cronulla) and Billie Melinz (Scarborough) in a stacked final.
"Women’s surfing is progressing so much and this event really got to showcase that," Charli said. "I had the best day and I know a lot of the girls and even spectators felt the same. Seeing all of us girls cheering each other on and supporting one another was so great to see. It made the event feel very special!
"I’m very happy to have gotten the win and just super grateful to be a part of an amazing and inspiring day."
In the Junior Girls Division, Werri Beach's Lucy Darragh surfed a level above to eventually defeat Lani Cairncross (Jones Beach), Pearl Eaton (Malua) and Marlie Moston (Sandon Point) in the final.
Woonona Boardriders women's coordinator and contest director Kirby Mowbray said she was stoked with how the event unfolded.
"It was a bit of a wet start and standing in the dark trying to work out whether to run or not, if the waves were there, wasn’t easy. But as the sun rose, we could see some contestable waves, so we got underway in the downpour.
"The level of surfing all day was impressive. Conditions changed a lot throughout the day, but the girls did well to make something out of the tricky lineup.
"Luckily, as the finals approached, the waves improved, so we really got to see what our surfers could do as the event culminated, which was great."
And while the surfing did not disappoint, it was the camaraderie and shared love of the water that ultimately made the day.
"We had a large crowd in the surf club for the finals, and the atmosphere was really fun; everyone had a good time despite being a little soggy!" Kirby said.
Co-director Yvonne Turner, a Woonona Boardriders member and former professional surfer, was ecstatic about how the day turned out.
"The real winner of the day was female surfing," Yvonne said.
"We were skunked by the weather, but the joy the competitors have for our sport still shone through. There were happy girls and smiling faces everywhere.
"The Ocean Queen Classic made the girls realise that they are part of a wider community of female surfers, which is hard to grasp when you are quite often the only female in the lineup.
"We’ve received so much glowing feedback. Parents of the juniors are happy to see their girls competing in a supportive, positive and rewarding environment. The girls had a ball. They’re already writing to us about next year.
"It’s something they really want to be part of. When they feel part of a wider community, they can take more ownership in the lineup, feel more confident, feel like they belong out there, get more waves and get better at surfing.
"We were also lucky to have former World Champion Pam Burridge put on a bit of a clinic during our Heritage heat. At the presentation we had a Q and A, and she gave some great, hard-won advice. Her experience is invaluable, and it’s amazing to be able to give these young competitors access to this knowledge.
"We’re very grateful to be able to put the event on. Our club, Woonona Boardriders, has been so supportive. A lot of members came down to help on the day. Many people put hours off work in during the lead-up."
Woonona Boardriders president Marc Robson said that he was proud of everyone who put in those hours to make the Ocean Queen Classic a success.
"Our aim was to acknowledge and support the incredible competitive female surfers across our region," Marc said.
"We started with driving equality within the club and increasing our female membership, and then we backed our female members to make it all happen. It was a fantastic event. We’re always looking for new female members too."
Planning for next year's Ocean Queen Classic is already underway and organisers are keen to build on the event's success.
"We had great community support and amazing sponsorship from local businesses, the Wollongong City Council and the State Government," Kirby said.
"It was rewarding to be able to support women and girls in an area where they don’t really receive equal opportunities. There’s a lack of competition that’s female-focussed and a lack of opportunities for girls to surf competitively. In all levels of competition, right up to the World Competition Tour, there are less places for women to compete.
"The feedback we received was really rewarding too, so we are all keen to go again and keep pushing for more."
