West Australia: “Aloha” Cottesloe Longboard Club Wahines Day – wrap & photos

The CLBC held a Wahine’s (Women’s) event at Cottesloe’s Isolator surf break on March 18, and club membership has grown to 100 + over the last few years, a third being women members of all ages. 

The aim of the day was to introduce new members to club competition and encourage all our wahines to feel welcome and participate in club rounds throughout the year. There remains a misguided perception that one’s level of surfing needs to be equivalent to a world champion. Although the club membership includes former Australian National Longboard Champion, Georgia Young, the club accommodates the different levels and surfing abilities, especially for those starting out. Importantly, the event was about introducing wahine members into the club’s supportive surfing community, promoting the club’s values of inclusivity, fun and learning. 

Aloha embodied our day, for us it meant to face one another and to be close and real with the person you are conversing with, give freely and share your spirit.

We had 22 women participate on the day, this included a welcome paddle, a cross stepping workshop with the club’s Georgia Young, followed by five heats. 

Wahines were encouraged to judge the heats, learning from our CLBC committee members who supported us on the day.  We would like to thank CLBC and our sponsors for supporting this event. 

Waveski Adventures and the businesses who provided in kind gifts for our Wahines: Hollow Surf, The Surfboard Room, Sunbum, The Salty Blond, The Boheme Life Collection, and Surf Dive n Ski Fremantle who provided $150 vouchers for prizes.  A big thank you to @oceansoflovephotography for capturing the day.

CLBC is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, it was great to see the first event of the season celebrating women surfers, Aloha and thank you.

 - News from Ari Schipf - CLBC Wahine Representative

Check out the Cottesloe Longboard Club here