$1 million grant powers new wave of women’s surfing clubs

SURFING Australia has secured $1 million in federal funding for its ‘New Wave of Female Boardriders’ project, an initiative designed to increase opportunities for women in surfing nationwide.

Announcing the funding at Casuarina’s High Performance Centre, Member for Richmond Justine Elliot outlined how the grant will support 50 new women-focused boardrider clubs, improve access to safe surfing equipment, and encourage women to take on leadership roles.

“This exciting new project aims to increase boardrider club membership for women in surfing, access to safe surfing equipment and facilities, and the number of women in official and senior positions,” Ms Elliot said.

The initiative will also provide annual development camps and training courses for female judges and officials, reflecting a broader effort to foster inclusivity across the sport.

“As your local Labor MP, I’m proud to be delivering $1 million for Surfing Australia to increase female participation in surfing,” Ms Elliot said.

This funding, part of the Albanese Government’s Play Our Way program, seeks to dismantle barriers preventing women and girls from fully participating in sport and physical activity, according to Ms Elliot.

Luke Madden, Surfing Australia’s chief of sport – events, participation and community, described the investment as transformative for the sport.

“We’re creating a pathway that will see more women involved in surfing at every level – from beginners in local boardrider clubs to female coaches on the beach,” he said.

“It’s all about opening doors for more women to embrace surfing and stay connected, making the sport more inclusive for everyone.”

Alongside the new clubs, the initiative includes the introduction of a National Women’s Participation and Club Development Officer, with additional part-time roles across the states, to support female surfers on a local level. Surfing Queensland, Surfing NSW and other state organisations have welcomed the chance to further women’s participation in surfing.

Belen Alvarez-Kimble, who founded Salty Girls Surf School, believes this project will create a safe and encouraging environment for women to develop their skills.

“This funding will create more opportunities for women to enter the water in a safe space, learn the rules, and then transition into boardrider clubs,” Ms Alvarez-Kimble said.

“It will open up so many great opportunities for women to progress their surfing to the next level.

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have this funding to support the next generation of young women in the water and provide them with the safe space they haven’t had before.”

The funding is also expected to bolster female representation in judging roles. Phoebe Kane, one of Australia’s top female judges, highlighted how the grant could inspire young women to pursue officiating.

“This funding will encourage more young women to consider officiating in surfing, which is a big step forward,” she said.

Kate Wilcomes, Surfing Australia’s high performance director, said the program would empower women across all skill levels.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have gone through the boardrider club pathway that ignited my competitive career towards being on the World Championship Tour and created a great sense of community for me,” Ms Wilcomes said.

“I also acknowledge that a lot of females don’t feel comfortable in a competitive environment, and how important it is to have boardrider clubs for women with different objectives.

“This inclusive environment will definitely encourage more women to participate in surfing.”