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Banzai Betty will host First Ever Women's Stand Up Surfing Event at the Banzai Pipeline! After several years of controversy, contemplation and contempt women will finally get their day at the Pipeline. For years by-standers have wondered why women weren't included in the ASP event at Pipe, but surfers would always say it was because the world famous surf break was too dangerous for the women. Even the women themselves have been divided about whether or not they would want to compete atPipeline. For the past several years permits for Pipeline have been so
tight that a women's event at there or any new event there seemed impossible.

Ironically, local women surfers who have been getting edged out of the Northshore contests for the past several years may have been the catalyst which sealed the deal. Around the turn of the century, women lost their honorary event at Sunset, first to the WCT girls, then all together. This year the last standing womens WQS again became limited to WCT girls, confirming to local girls that they would have no pro event in Hawaii this year. Fortunately, this may have been the push the women needed
to get their Pipe permit from the city. Not only will the contest do justice to local surfers, but to all women surfers who want to have a chance to compete in a sizable reef break. Unlike the men's tour, speciality or extreme women are not offered a day of trials heats at breaks such as Teaupoo, Fiji, or Honolua and the WQS tour is composed of beach breaks and small surf.The Pipe event has the potential to breed a whole new generation of women surfers and women's events.

You couldn't find a better person than Banzai Betty to host the first ever women's surfing event at the Banzai Pipeline. With a nickname like Banzai, you shouldn't have to ask if she surfed the Pipeline; she also pioneered places like Waimea, and Sunset Beach. In 1978 Betty became California WISA champion for which she was awarded a a wild card entry and ticket to travel to Oahu and compete in the Smirnoff Pro.That year she placed third in ten foot waves at Sunset Beach and never left the Northshore. Since then Betty has been a strong force behind what has pushed women's surfing to a whole new level. In the early 90s she began her career as a videographer, being one of the first women to film from the water and the first media person to really focus on the women. Betty made it a point to get women's surfing on television, pushing the woman's image and producing all women videos. It is from this perspective perhaps that most inspired Betty to have a women's contest at Pipe. "It is the most photographed wave" says Betty who explains how the variety of water angles and close proximity to the Beach will allow for great coverage which will "show off women's surfing" On the other hand she explains that "Pipeline is not a wave for everyone, but the girls who do go out and appreciate a steep take off should have an opportunity to see where they stand against all the other women." Though many complain that women don't have the ability to surf Pipe Betty feels very passionately that "women should get the opportunity to try, to build up their talent out there and gumption", When she is not filming or surfing, Betty works at KHON TV2 televsion in Honolulu in the areas of news production, audio technician, graphic artist, assistant directing and of course does the surf report. Other than being a competitive surfer rated in the top 10 for years on the world tour, Betty has a history of experience with directing, commentating and promoting surf contests. She helped to organize the WISA circuit back in the 70s and put together the first women's bodyboarding event at Pipeline in 1986. She has worked for companies such as XCEL, ASP, Dateline, Fox, Outdoor life network and ESPN. When it comes to women's surfing; you might just call her the Queen B.

The first women's surfing event at Pipe will be held between the holding period of March 11-16 in conjunction with the women's bodyboarding championships to kick off the GOB tour. It should be an interesting experience for the women to compete with other waterwomen instead of with the men. It should build new bridges in the world of womens sports.The Pipeline surfing Champion, The Pipeline Bodyboarding Champion and The Hawaiian Champions in both divisions will be crowned. The 2 day event will include bodyboarding and surfing and will have two expression session heats for any women that want to go out. Betty has invited some surfing legends like Jericho Poppler and Linda Benson to be a part of the festivities and plans on showing all girl movies in the community all week to build the hype. Betty hopes to run the event in anywhere from 2-8 feet surf and says that "as the season is winding down March usually kicks in clean solid swells and westerly angles. Closing ceremonies will celebrate the event and share a story of the history of women's surfing. This event will be dedicated to Avreal, a women surfer who died surfing huge backyards around 1981.
Pipeline, Ehukai Beach Park, North Shore, Oahu