Photos: Rebecca Price-Baechle
The female big-wave community gather to ring opening bell for the first ever women’s only big-wave surf contest
HONOLULU, HI – (October 1, 2019) – Red Bull Queen of the Bay returns with a waiting period of October 1 through November 21, 2019 as the world’s top big-wave surfers set their sights on the 2019 Women’s Waimea Bay Championship. The event, which honors powerful women who have worked to break down barriers in surfing, was first founded in 2010 by Betty Depolito and partnered with Red Bull in 2017. Postponed in 2017 and 2018 due to a lack of swell in the bay, the ladies joined at Waimea’s Beach Park with optimism for a more favorable outcome in 2019.
“Red Bull Queen of the Bay will help women have a day at Waimea where they can really go for it and test their skills,” says 2018 Big Wave World Champion Keala Kennelly. “There are so many more women surfing now and many young women coming up that want to get to that level. This will be very empowering when it happens.”
The North Shore is the mecca for not only big-wave surfing, but for the entire surf world and Waimea Bay serves as its grandstand. The contest will feature the top, most recognizable names in professional women’s surfing from around the world.
INVITED ATHLETES
- Andrea Moller, Brazil
- Bianca Valenti, United States
- Blake Lefkoe, United States
- Brittany Gomulka, Hawaii
- Emi Erickson, Hawaii
- Felicity Palmateer, Australia
- Izzi Gomez, United States
- Jamilah Star, Hawaii
- Justine Dupont, France
- Kaya Waldman, Hawaii
- Keala Kennely, Hawaii
- Kelta O’Rourke, Hawaii
- Kiomi Shepard, Japan
- Laura Enever, Australia
- Makani Adric, Hawaii
- Michaela Fregonese, Brazil
- Momo Sakuma, Japan
- Nicole Pacelli, Brazil
- Paige Alms, Hawaii
- Paulia Raldo, Guatemala
- Raquel Heckert, Brazil
- Remi Nealon, United States
- Sarah Gerhardt, United States
- Shakira Westdorp, Australia
- Silvia Nambuco, Brazil
- Siri Masterson, Hawaii
- Skylar Lickle, Hawaii
- Wrenna Delgado, Hawaii
“We are honored to be bringing this big wave event to our community,” said contest director Betty Depolito. “We are remembering women who changed the perspective of what women should be. Through their memory we celebrate the current women big-wave surfers at Red Bull Queen of the Bay.”
For more content and information on this historic event, please visit redbull.com/queenofthebay.
#RedBullQueenoftheBay
WATCH THE ACTION Red Bull Queen of the Bay will be livestreamed on Red Bull TV, Red Bull Surfing YouTube and on the Red Bull Surfing Facebook page.