The Women Will Take On Waimea

The bronzed and brawny ladies of the big wave world have lots to celebrate this winter: The Women’s Waimea Bay Championship, held in honour of Kuhina Nui Ka’ahumanu, will run at Waimea Bay. The first ever women’s competition held at The Bay will enjoy a waiting period from October 1 through November 21. 

If the event can provide half the thrills of last year’s Eddie, while avoiding the painful to watch, more painful to participate in, trainwreck that was the 2016 Pe’ahi Challenge—which saw nearly as many serious injuries as successfully ridden waves—the Waimea Bay Championship could be huge for Women’s Big Wave surfing  (And with an announcement forthcoming, surely, from the WSL w/r/t Mavericks, perhaps we’ll see several historic women’s Big Wave events this year). 

Here’s the Waimea Bay Championship’s roster of international female chargers, including but not limited to:

Jaws standout and Pe’ahi champ, Paige Alms.

Big wave stylist and North Shore royalty, Emily Erickson.

And California tube-hound and Mavericks/Ocean Beach regular Bianca Valenti. 

Here’s the full roster: 
PAIGE ALMS
EASKEY BRITTON
JUSTINE DUPONT
EMILY ERICKSON
MICHAELA FREGONESE
SARAH GERHARDT
BRITTANY GOMULKA
RAQUEL HECKERT
KEALA KENNELLY
BLAKE LEFKOE
ANDREA MOLLER
SILVIA NABUCO
REMI NEALON
NICOLE PACELLI
FELICITY PALMATEER
POLLY RALDA
MOMO SAKUMA
TAMMY LEE SMITH
SAVANNAH SHAUGHNESSY
JAMILAH STAR
BIANCA VALENTI
CARLY WILSON

You can find out more about the event, here.