City and County of Honolulu

Congratulations to North Shore Surf girl Anastasia Ashley for winning the women’s surfing and to Brazilian Karla Costa-Taylor for winning the women’s bodyboarding divisions of the 21st Annual North Shore Soap Factory Pipeline Women’s Pro in Memory of Josie Over. A big mahalo to event director, Betty Depolito for organizing it too!

Photo Bernie Baker

It’s great to see the women surfers from around the world given the opportunity to compete at the world’s most prestigious surfing competition venue. What’s not so great is seeing the only women’s contest held at Pipeline awarded dates at the end of the winter, when the waves are small and marginal. Most people don’t understand or even want to know about the “politics” of surfing contest on the North Shore, but it would be helpful to the cause of gender equality if some sun was shined on it. Each Spring the City and County sends permit applications to all the event directors from the previous season inviting them to fill our an application for a contest. The application includes questions like does this event provide opportunities for females and what kind of community services does the event preform. Although there is […]