 Rochelle Ballard, Keala Kennelly, Elise Garrigue, Crystal Dzigas, Alana Brennan and Emilia Perry are six beautiful, ripping wahine who call Hawai‘i home and surfing their life. They each chase their surf dreams through various paths available to them as women; some are WCT competitors, ambassadors of the surfer girl lifestyle, stuntwomen or a combination of all. These female wave riders sat down with FSM to discuss issues that are affecting the current state of women’s surfing, break down the stereotypes and stigmas of the lifestyle/model surfer vs. the competitive surfer, and share what it is to be a modern wahine wave rider.
MEET THE WAHINE…
ROCHELLE BALLARD
Rochelle Ballard, 35, from Kaua‘i, is known as the Matriarch of Woman’s surfing. She has carried Hawai‘i’s torch for the past 15 years on the elite World Championship Tour. She finished runner-up to the title in 2004. She is known for charging crazy tubes and being an integral voice for women’s surfing.
Home break: Prince Kuhio, Poipu Kaua‘i
Favorite surfer of all time: Kelly Slater
Years as pro surfer: 15
Years competing: 22
Highest ranking or title: Runner-up to the title in 2004.
KEALA KENNELLY
Keala Kennelly, 28, from Hanalei, Kaua‘i changed women’s surfing in 2005 when she was the first woman to tow in to the infamous Tahitian left-hander, Teahupo‘o. The goofy-foot was runner-up to the world title in 2003 and is known for her competitive and free surfing domination in big surf. This year, Keala has stepped away from the competitive scene to pursue a career in acting, filming for a new HBO series loosely based on the Fletcher family called, “John From Cincinnati.”
Home break: Kaua‘i
Favorite surfer of all time: Andy Irons
Years as pro surfer: 11
Years competing: 20
Highest ranking or title: Runner-up for the world title in 2003.
CRYSTAL DZIGAS
Crystal Dzigas, 23, from O‘ahu, is leading the movement of Hawaiian female longboarders across the world. Her grace and approach to the traditional art of longboarding is world-class—not to mention she can rip Pupukea to pieces on her shortboard. Competing for the past eight years, she has made a mark, taking the Hawai‘i State Championships in 1999 and 2000, as well as second place at the Biarritz Surf Festival in France the following year. She has graced covers and photo spreads of countless surf magazines, and her exotic features and extremely fit body have landed her a highly coveted spot as a Roxy rider.
Home break: Pupukea, O‘ahu
Years as pro surfer: 4
Years competing: 8
Highest ranking or title: State Champ 1999 and 2000, second place at Biarritz Surf Festival in 2001.
ELISE GARRIGUE
Elise Garrigue, 22, from Haiku, Maui, resides far away from her roots in France. This bilingual beauty has been the ambassador of Rip Curl’s Surfer Girl lifestyle for six years, traveling the world, hosting contests, modeling their clothing lines and most recently, being a test pilot for their women’s heated wetsuits. In addition to her work with Rip Curl, Elise has been highly successful in the modeling world, thanks to her serious talent on a surfboard. She surfed her way into the international Gillette "Venus and Satin Care" advertising campaign, and a national Southwest Airlines TV commercial campaign. Among many other modeling credits, Elise has landed Pioneer Plasma Screen TV, Dodge Ram and O.B. Tampons national advertisement campaigns. You can spot her golden locks and easy smile in music videos with Norah Jones (“Come Away With Me"), Black Eyed Peas ("Don’t Phunk With My Heart") and G. Love ("Booty Call.”)
Home break: Ho'okipa, Maui
Favorite surfer of all time: Rob Machado
Years as pro surfer: 6
Years competing: Soul surfer, no competitions.
ALANA BRENNAN
Alana Brennan, 21, from the Big Island, has the jet set lifestyle that most dream about. This brown-skinned Latina has been the face for Billabong Girls campaigns for the past 10 years. Traveling around the world modeling and surfing has allowed Alana the opportunity to surf high-performance waves on someone else’s dime. She has hosted several TV shows and has had many photos published internationally. But don’t let that fool you: there is a talented surfer behind the gloss. Having competed for six years and earning a state title in 2002, Alana found another avenue that could allow her to maintain her surfer lifestyle, ride good waves, make money and not have to deal with the drama that often comes with competitive surfing.
Home break: Paniau, PK’s
Favorite surfer of all time: Dean Morrison
Years as pro surfer: 3
Years competing: 6 years in the amateur circuit and 2 years on the WQS. Not currently competing.
Highest ranking or title: Hawai‘i State Champ in 2002.
EMILIA PERRY
Emilia Perry, “20-something,” from O‘ahu, has been a figure out in the lineup on the North Shore for several years now. Originally hailing from Australia’s west coast, she came to Hawai‘i as a bodyboarder and was known for charging Pipe with the best of them. That is where she met and married Pipeline icon Tamayo Perry. Emilia has spent the past few years as a shortboarder, globetrotting and pursuing the free surfer career. She stayed away from the contest scene, except for one that is held at her favorite spot, Pipeline. She is currently a stunt double for the hit TV show “Lost” and was a VJ for the live Internet and TV coverage for the 2006 Excel Pro at Sunset Beach. She has also worked on projects with Coke, Crazy Shirts, “The Big Bounce,” “Baywatch,” Fuel TV, 2007 Girlosophy Calendar, Real Girls Eat by Anthea Paul and Jon Mozo Photography.
Home break: Pipeline
Years as pro surfer: 2
Years competing: 16 (bodyboarding)
Highest ranking or title: Semis in bodyboarding and shortboarding. State Champ in Australia.
Do you think there is a female professional surfer who can be likened to the male pros?
RB: Mel Bartels, Lisa Andersen, Chelsea Georgeson, Stephanie Gilmore. These women are on rail, smooth transitions, powerful, technical, stylish and fast.
KK: Not yet, not that we couldn’t, but the money from sponsors is not quite there yet.
CD: Mel Bartels. After falling off of the ‘CT in 2006, she became a free surfer by default. Her surfing is right up there with the guys.
Is there a stereotype of the female model surfer versus a female contest surfer?
RB: I think in the past, one was beauty. The other was a struggling pro trying to prove herself worthy to the industry and media. Now I believe it has been redefined. The female model surfer is an image and a trendsetter, a representation of street/beach fashion, and a vibrant, active wave rider. A female contest surfer is also those same things, but in a more inspirational vibration, more aggressive, talented, focused, always up for a challenge, sometimes intimidating. She also inspires and impresses males and the non-surfing community with her talents and heart for the sea.
KK: The stereotype is that the model is not as skilled a surfer, and that she has gotten to where she is because of her looks, not her ability.
EG: Some people think that a model can't surf, but some can. It just depends.
AB: The female model surfer is not as good a surfer compared to the competitive female surfer and most of the time is not taken as seriously as a competitive female surfer.
Is it respectable within the surfing community for a female pro athlete to step away from competition?
RB: Keala just resigned her spot on the 2007 WCT to pursue an acting career. I think the industry and the media will miss her presence. Lisa Andersen retired before her peak and has established herself in the marketing department at Roxy. Since her retirement, she has held her position in the top five of the Surfer Poll and is still getting great media coverage from the surf and mainstream media. It really all depends on the athlete and what they do with the rest of their career as an icon after competing.
KK: We are led to believe the world title is everything, and the only way to obtain that is to do competitions and jump through hoops. When you rebel and say, "I’m not jumping through your hoops anymore," people don’t know how to react.
AB: I wouldn't say it's not respected. I think a lot of people can respect it if they have already made a name for themselves in competition surfing or free surfing, or if they are doing something else to better their career. Something that will make them happier.
EP: I think in contests they can put you in a box and say you are this or that. If you’re free surfing, you’re constantly traveling, getting photos, putting yourself out there. It’s just harder as a girl free surfer because there are no magazines that really cover girls.
Does femininity ever put a hindrance on advancing your surfing career?
KK: It’s more like the other way around. We get put down for not being feminine enough. You try and look pretty after going over the falls at Pipe!
CD: I don't think a surfing career and femininity have any correlation at all. If anything, I think a professional surfer would be more feminine. These days the female surf industry is all about being feminine. It seems like being more feminine would be to your advantage.
EG: Females have an attractive image without being aggressive or competitive. Femininity is in the mannerisms of a person, the way a person dresses and their physique. Women are not as strong as men; we all know it. Those details make women's surfing advance a bit slower than men’s.
AB: Not in my career. I’m all about femininity! Companies want to market women’s surfing as feminine, we're women, we’re feminine, that’s what we represent. If you are a talented surfer as well as feminine, then I think it can only help. You don’t need to be wearing pink and ruffles and doing your makeup to be feminine, you just have to take pride in being a woman. If you’re a woman who consumers can relate to, then it can only help your image and the company you ride for.
Does a women’s contest at Pipeline help or hurt the general opinion of female pro surfing?
RB: If the event dates were at a time when the WCT surfers could surf in it, it would be a good growth in women’s surfing, bringing on challenges and opportunities that everyone wants to see. It's one of the heaviest and most beautiful waves in the world. The barrel is the ultimate showcase. But, the best don't have the opportunity to surf in it. [Due to a WCT contest held in Australia during the same time as the Women’s Pipe holding period.] There are a handful of women that can even ride a barrel proper and take on that challenge. Even then, it's nowhere near the level of Pipe surfers who dominate the lineup.
KK: Because they hold it when none of the top-rated women can compete in it, only girls entering are low-ranking WQS girls and a few local girls. I would have to say it hurts, very much.
CD: I think it helps a bit. There were a lot of girls and a lot of spectators who showed up for the event the first year and even more the second year. I know to many a girl’s Pipe contest might sound absolutely ridiculous, but I think it is a step in the right direction.
EP: It depends on the size and conditions. Pipeline, to me, it’s gonna be really fun, but to other people, it’s gonna be really scary. I think it’s good we have the contest there, but at the same time, it invites a lot of people who shouldn’t be out there. But we at least need an opportunity to have a go at it. I agree with the guys who feel we don’t deserve it, but how can we ever deserve it if we’ve never had a chance to have our day out there? We’re not going out when it’s like ten feet. So, you guys can still keep those days.
What do you think is the main differences between female and male surfers?
RB: Our bodies are entirely different: our chemical makeup, the estrogen and testosterone, the mind frame of a man versus a woman, the heart. Basically, everything is different. I don't know why everyone always compares the two. The day we stop comparing and start appreciating the beauty and power of both male and female as they are is when a huge shift in our sport will happen.
KK: Women can have babies and men can’t. Men have a penis and women have a vagina. I could go on…
CD: Ability. I don't care what anyone says, guys still surf better. There are a few girls who are closing the gap, but there is still a huge difference.
AB: Performance. Men still perform better than women do. They are on a different level. I think the girls are catching up, but the men are still leading the way and taking the sport to new levels.
What is the corporate side of women’s surfing like?
RB: You gotta spend money, believe in it, and push it to create successful change and growth. Women’s surf companies don’t always put the value, passion and commitment into women's pro surfing as they do in men's.
KK: Some companies take very good care of their athletes. My sponsors are good to me. One way companies have lost their direction in regards to women’s pro surfing is that they are sponsoring events in mediocre, average waves. The women’s world championship tour has lost all its really exciting, challenging, high-risk venues [like Tahiti and Fiji], which has made it easier for me to take a different direction.
CD: Sometimes team managers pick up too many surf models, which isn't good managing. It gets the company nowhere. They should focus on the faces they already have.
Are young surfer girls today coaxed to compete or model more?
RB: I think both. But in the long run if you have the talent, a lot more money is in pro surfing than surf modeling.
CD: If you force someone, their natural reaction is to rebel. If they were forced they might not want to surf later.
EG: Unless you are a champion, modeling makes more money. It is sad but true. It’s a choice of personality. Two different lifestyles, both hard in their own ways, both enjoyable since it is to surf.
AB: I think if you can do both, then go for it. If you are stronger in one area than the other, then go for your strength. There is so much you can learn from competing and it can really help your level of surfing, and can be a huge benefit for your career. Try not to worry too much about what other people think and just do what you do best!
What is it to be a water woman?
RB: Express your true self, show your poise, grace, beauty and power, and most of all, your love for the ocean.
EG: To be a water woman is to love the ocean, spend as much time in the ocean as is pleasurable, to be aware and have the knowledge of the underwater world, the coastal world, and of course the surfing world. To just be a mermaid.
AB: A woman who loves the ocean and spends her time there, and is recognized for her love of the ocean or talent in the ocean. I think there is no title or any limitations on what a water woman means. There are so many different sports in which you can enjoy in the ocean.
EP: Being able to showcase all of your talents. Look at the girls that out there on the North Shore. Not only do we surf, we body surf, some of us dive, we skate. Showing your ability in the water is a really good thing.
[PAU]
» 1 Comment
1"wssm online editor"
at Sunday, 23 March 2008 02:50
Great article! Only beef I have with it is in the answer from Emelia Perry in question #2... "it’s just harder as a girl free surfer because there are no magazines that really cover girls"? ,,,
What is WSSM then? Women's Surf Style Magazine! . Theyre all about free surfing and style for the water wahines.
Find a free copy for yourself at surf shops throughout Hawaii, California, Florida, New Jersey and other coastal states.
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