Why Bethany Hamilton Left Rip Curl With Three Years & Six Figures Left On Her Contract

Seven days ago, Bethany Hamilton posted a before-and-after Instagram slider to commemorate her 20-year journey after the shark attack that famously took her left arm.

On the second slide, the nose of Bethany’s board, which for the past 24 years has been occupied by Rip Curl stickers, appears vacant.

This is unusual, because on January 28th, 2022, Bethany re-signed a five-year deal with her long-term sponsor. The cotton candy pleasantries included: “It feels amazing to have been with Rip Curl for this long, and it really feels like we align on so many different levels.”

However, this agreement was inked before February 2023, when Bethany took to socials in opposition of the World Surf League’s recently released Transgender policy. The policy stated:

As an Olympic Sport, and with aspirations for all of the WSL’s disciplines to be included in the Olympics, the WSL had adopted the International Surfing Association (ISA) policy on transgender participation. 

Bethany’s response to the news was a minutes-long Instagram Reel, explaining why she found the ruling contrary to the interests of “biologically” female athletes.

This year, Rip Curl featured a transgender woman in their Summer Looks Good On You bikini campaign. And, well…