The Wave Launches Women-Only Surfing

The Wave, the unique inland surfing destination in Bristol, has announced that it will now be offering a range of women-only lessons and sessions. The women-only slots will be available to buy on The Wave website from International Women’s Day on 8 March. 

The Wave wants to remove as many barriers as possible to people learning to surf and the women-only sessions are one of a number of initiatives aimed at helping to attract a wider range of people to experience the joy of surfing, as well as its many physical and mental health benefits.

Alex Lloyd, Marketing Director at The Wave, said: “Surfing in the UK and globally is still a predominantly white, male sport and we are looking at what we can do to change this. We have had lots of feedback from female visitors saying that they can feel intimidated and nervous surfing when it is a mainly male line-up, and that they would love some women-only sessions. 
“The growth in the number of women’s surf clubs starting up across the country shows there is a real desire for the support and camaraderie that women get from surfing together. We have created these sessions to offer a supportive female space for those that feel they want or need it as they progress on their surfing journey.”

There will initially be a women-only Beginner Lesson, Waikiki surf, Intermediate surf, and Advanced surf session each month, starting from April. The plan is to extend this and add more options as demand grows.  

The first women-only session is on 3 April and coincides with a female takeover being organised by Devon based surf club, Wave Wahines. This will see a number of ladies surf clubs coming together to meet up and surf at The Wave. 

Yvette Curtis, Founder of Wave Wahines, said:  “Getting more women and girls into surfing is vital for the sport and surf culture, as well as hugely beneficial for the women and girls who try it. Creating spaces for women and girls to experience this together has proven essential in helping form a bond, not just with the sport but also with each other and themselves. It helps grow their confidence and ability to take up space, and meet new challenges in life, as they can on the waves.”

The Wave is located in a beautiful rural site on the edge of Bristol, close to the M5.  At its heart is a 180m long surfing lake, powered by innovative Wavegarden Cove technology. This provides waves suitable for everyone, from a child stepping on the board for the first time, to professional surfers training for the Olympics. The Wave is all about getting people outside in nature, being active and sharing the blue health benefits of surfing with people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. 

Surfing is a rapidly growing sport and made its Olympic debut in Tokyo in 2021. The accessibility of surfing has been held back by geographical limitations, weather, swell conditions and tides. The Wave overcomes all these issues to bring perfect surfing conditions for beginners, intermediates and advanced surfers.