Women Who Run With the Tides

Who said that surfer girls have to look like Alana Blanchard? Michelle Shearer thought that there is another – well worth seeing – side to female surfing.

Women Who Run With the Tides is a 17 minute short movie about female surfers on the other side of fifty and the unique qualities they bring to the lineup. Women who run with the tides is Focusing on  Marg, 64, Sally, 58 and Carol, 50 – tree female surfers in Lennox Head, NSW, Australia.

Marg began surfing at the tender age of 15 when her husband introduced her to surfing. The start of a lifetime passion. Then a few years later came job responsibilities and children and Marg did not touch a surfboard for the next 26 years. She began to surf again at the age of 48 and that’s even worthy of respect! And it tells us that it is never too late to learn how to surf.

She says the great thing when many women are in the lineup, is that it gives you more security and ease. More joy and looking out for each other. Carol says: “the vibe is sharing”. Less testosterone-driven competition thinking, simply more fun.

The women have been involved in organizing all girls surf contests for years and therefore know quite a lot of today’s elite surfers from childhood. Carol says that she finds it very disappointing when in female contest the camera first zooms in on the girls’ butts and then their skills. She is convinced that these great and so talented girls have to offer so much more than what the international surf marketing makes of surf them. Without being too feminist I think she has a very good point here.

The women agree that surfing is about much more than just riding the waves.  It’s about being in and with the nature, feeling the connection with your body and especially about friendships. And thus these women are the real queens of the sport. Because the best surfer is always the one who has the most fun out there!