With a holding pattern starting October 1st (and running through November 21st, 2018,) Red Bull’s Queen of the Bay is hoping to crown the Women’s Waimea Bay Champion in this first-ever, all-women big-wave surf competition.
Honoring Hawaiian female surfer, Queen Ka’ahumanu, the first Kuhina Nui, and other powerful Hawaiian women who have worked tirelessly to break down barriers in surfing, the Red Bull Queen of the Bay was slated to first run in 2017, but was postponed due to a lack of appropriate swell in the bay.
“I am very excited that Red Bull Queen of the Bay is coming back this year,” said North Shore native big-wave rider Emily Erickson, “fingers crossed we get the weather and waves we need to bring this to life at Waimea.”
Amber Mozo / Red Bull Content Pool
The North Shore is the mecca for not only big-wave surfing, but for the entire surf world – Waimea Bay is its grandstand. “It’s really important to me and some of the other girls to show what we can do. I have a lot of respect for Waimea Bay and the history of women’s surfing,” says Hawaiian surfer Makani Adric. “You do get an adrenaline rush and it’s a dream to be surfing there.”
The contest will feature many of the top, most recognizable names in professional women’s surfing from around the world including contestants from Australia, Brazil, France, Guatemala, Portugal, Japan, USA and Hawai’i based pro-surfers, including:
1. Makani Adric, Hawaii
2. Paige Alms, Hawaii
3. Joana Andrade, Portugal
4. Justine Dupont, France
5. Emily Erickson, Hawaii
6. Michaela Fregonese, Brazil
7. Brittany Gomulka, USA
8. Claudia Goncalves, Brazil
9. Raquel Heckert, Brazil
10. Keala Kennelly, Hawaii
11. Sheila Lee, USA
12. Blake Lefkoe, USA
13. Andrea Moller, Brazil
14. Kelta O’Rourke, Hawaii
15. Nicole Pacelli, Brazil
16. Felicity Palmateer, Australia
17. Emilia Perry, Hawaii
18. Polly Ralda, Guatemala
19. Momo Sakuma, Japan
20. Kiyomi Sheppard, Japan
21. Jamilah Star, USA
22. Jenny Useldinger, USA
23. Bianca Valenti, USA
24. Silvia Nabuco, Brazil
25. Laura Enever, Australia
26. Wrenna Delgado, USA
“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.”
Red Bull Queen of the Bay will be livestreamed across the Red Bull Surfing Facebook page. For more information on this historic event, visit redbull.com/queenofthebay.
