Unbelievably, women were only just allowed to compete in World Surf League big-wave events last November.

This fall they can look forward to being more than just a spot in a lineup though. The best big wave women around will be taking part in the Red Bull Queen of the Bay event; the first ever big-wave competition that’s just for women.

Women’s Waimea Bay Championship

The event was put together to put to bed any notion that women aren’t able to surf as big or as well as men. The event is going to change opinions on female surfers, by force if necessary.

The event is set to take place at the Waimea Bay in Oahu when the weather permits in October or November. Around 26 women will be competing for the title of Queen of the Bay, which honors the ancient Hawaiian female surfing legend Queen Ka’ahumanu, who became the first woman to sit with the men at the table. The event will be a representation of what Queen Ka’ahumanu did; inviting the women to sit and eat at the same table as men once again.

When people talk about the big-wave surfers in the world and all the major events, they talk about the Brotherhood of the Bay or the Eddie; they only talk about the men. The women in the event are looking forward to showing everyone that they can do it just as good, if not better than, the men.

The waves at Waimea Bay are known to reach heights of up to 5 stories/50 feet. They can weigh hundreds of tons, making them perhaps the most prestigious spot in the world for big-wave surfing. It doesn’t matter where a big-wave surf goes down though, as there are always some inherent risks. Competitors frequently run the risk of broken bones. The Hawaiian surfer Brittany Gomulka missed out on seven months of competition by blowing holes in her eardrums after wiping out on a big wave. Ki Ralda had it even worse, cracking her skull on a big wave and suffering from memory loss. Not that it stops the women however, as these women will be competing in the Red Bull Queen of the Bay competition.

Other women set to compete in the event include the esteemed surfers Kaela Kennellly and Sarah Gerhardt; Sarah was the first woman tow-in surfer. Big wave surfers Bianca Valenti and Paige Alms are also headed to Waimea Bay. Anyone of the women competing at the event stands a chance of walking away with some of the prize purse. How large this prize purse is depends on sponsorship. Red Bull are the main supporters of course, but the organisers are looking to drum up more support. The contest was designed to be inclusive with a fair playing field. Judges are there to score the surfers on their style, awarding more points to surfers that dare to ride the biggest wave, rather than those that ride the most.

The main goal of the organisers and the competitors is to show that there is plenty of talent and passion for the women of big-wave surfing. The women in the event are risking their lives for the grand prize of euphoria. They aren’t just chasing adrenaline; there are one with themselves and the ocean, and it shows in their surfing.