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Female Big Wave Surfers Fight For Equity At Titans Of Mavericks

HALF MOON BAY (KPIX 5) -- Female surfers insist that Titans of Mavericks organizers allow women to compete for the same cash reward as male surfers.

A fight for equality in one of the world's biggest surf contests is placing new pressure on Titan of Mavericks organizers to do more to include women.

For the first time in history, Maverick's is adding a women's heat, but some female surfers say they're still fighting a wave of sexism.

If anyone thinks women can't surf the big waves of Maverick's, they should come see Bianca Valenti.

"Once you take off on the wave...nothing else matters," Valenti said.

Valenti surfed Mavericks last year.

The San Francisco surfer is one of six females invited to compete in the first ever all-women's heat when this winter's Titans of Maverick's surf contest is called.

Valenti said, "I think it's a great step and a good starting point. I just want to make sure that they are committed to growing the event as the sport grows."

She was one of a handful of women's surf advocates who came to the California Coastal Commission hoping to put pressure on Mavericks organizers to bring true gender equity to the event.

The San Francisco surfer is one of six females invited to compete in the first ever all-women's heat when this winter's Titans of Maverick's surf contest is called.

Valenti said, "I think it's a great step and a good starting point. I just want to make sure that they are committed to growing the event as the sport grows."

She was one of a handful of women's surf advocates who came to the California Coastal Commission hoping to put pressure on Mavericks organizers to bring true gender equity to the event.

Sabrina Brennan, with the Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing as well as a San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner, says Mavericks' plan for a women's heat doesn't go far enough.

"There's definitely sexism out there.  There's no doubt about it."

And she says the prize money -- a total purse of $120,000 for the men and $30,000 for the women -- is obviously unequal.

The group wants the commission to deny Titan of Maverick's four-year use permit application and cut it down to one year to help leverage a full women's division in 2017 and beyond.

Brennan said, "We would like to see these women compete in a semifinal and a final. That's what needs to happen to be on par with the male athletes."

Mavericks founder Jeff Clark said more women need to surf Mavericks on a regular basis throughout the year to qualify for the contest, and that the contest has worked hard to put women on equal footing.

"I don't know why it doesn't go far enough. We had a hard time finding six women just to make up one heat," Clark said.

"Six women, $30,000.  24 men, $120,000.  You divide that," he said.

But Valenti says women surfers are not trying to disrupt Mavericks.

"What we're trying to do is pave the way for the future, so that little kids can grow up and make a living from big wave surfing if they want to. Just like Serena Williams or Tiger Woods."

The coastal commission meeting in Half Moon Bay was underway Wednesday evening and so far, no decision had been made on a Mavericks permit.

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