Chances bright for the return of women’s surfing to Hawaii in 2012
After a hiatus of one year, the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Women’s World Tour is expected to make its return to the North Shore of Hawaii in 2012.
The executive director of the prestigious Vans Triple Crown of Surfing series and member of ASP’s board of directors Randy Rarick remains extremely optimistic about women’s contest in the 2012 schedule, saying, "We have two permits for contests at Haleiwa
and Sunset next year and I'd love to reinstate the Triple Crown. I have the vehicle. I just need someone to buy the tires so that I can drive it. We need somebody who's stoked on women's surfing to show that with their chequebook."
Rarick conceded that the women’s contest required sponsors and was hopeful to see the advocates of women’s surfing step forward to provide their financial support. The local artist Wyland has already made an offered to make contributions in terms of money
to see the professional female surfers battle it out for glory in the waves of North Shore.
"I'm sure there are more people like him, advocates of women's surfing who want to see the women surf here next year. Maybe we could cobble together a compilation of sponsors to put something on," said Rarick.
Due to the lack of funds, ASP had been compelled to shorten the 2011 ASP Women’s World Tour to seven events with the tour making an early finish in August. While a proposal had been made to ASP by Vans Triple Crown of holding a specialty Triple Crown series,
with the invitation list merely restricted to four-to-six of the top surfers, the suggestion was dismissed by the governing body of surfing, asking Triple Crown to either put on rated events or let go of the idea of holding women’s contest in Hawaii.
The 2011 season of ASP Women’s World Tour had been one of the most progressive seasons of women’s surfing. The seven stops of the World Tour featured memorable performances by female surfers from all around the globe, especially Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons,
her compatriot and the former four-time ASP Women’s World Champion Stephanie Gilmore and the 2011 ASP Women’s World Champion Carissa Moore from Hawaii.
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