The History and Rise of Female Surfing in Britain and Ireland
The History and Rise of Female Surfing in Britain and Ireland
The History and Rise of Female Surfing in Britain and Ireland
Surfing has a long history across the British Isles, with female surfers playing a crucial role in shaping the sport. From the early days of longboarding in Cornwall and Devon to the rise of surf communities in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, women have helped push the boundaries of British and Irish surfing.
In recent years, female surfers from all backgrounds—including adaptive surfers, longboarders, shortboarders, and big-wave riders—have gained recognition on both national and international stages. This article explores the history of female surfing across the UK and Ireland, highlighting key moments, groundbreaking surfers, and the movement towards a more inclusive and diverse surf scene.
1. History: Women Paddle Into the Lineup (1960s-1980s)
While surfing in the UK and Ireland was growing in popularity during the mid-20th century, women initially faced cultural barriers in the sport. Surfing was often seen as a male-dominated activity, but that didn’t stop a determined group of female pioneers from carving out their place in the lineup.
- Eve Newell was one of the first British female surfers, making her mark in Cornwall during the 1960s and 70s.
- By the 1970s, small but dedicated groups of female surfers emerged in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, braving the cold Atlantic waters to chase waves.
- In the 1980s, national surf competitions began offering women’s divisions, slowly paving the way for more opportunities.
At this time, female surfers had limited industry support, fewer sponsorship opportunities, and little media coverage. But their passion helped lay the foundation for today’s thriving women’s surf scene.
2. Rise: 1990s-2000s, The Rise of Competitive Female Surfing
The 1990s and early 2000s saw a major shift, with British and Irish women making their mark on the competition circuit and gaining recognition in international events.
- Hannah Harding became a British champion, inspiring young female surfers to push their limits.
- The growth of surf schools and clubs in places like Newquay, Pembrokeshire, the North East of England, and the west coast of Ireland led to more women entering the sport.
- More female surfers started competing at European and world levels, proving that women’s surfing in Britain and Ireland was ready to step onto the global stage.
However, at this time, high-performance shortboarding was still the dominant focus, and many women were pressured to surf in a way that matched male competitors rather than embracing alternative surf styles.
3. 2010s: A New Generation of British and Irish Female Surfers
The 2010s marked a breakthrough for female British and Irish surfers, with women competing on the world stage and embracing a wider range of surf disciplines—including longboarding, twin-fin surfing, and adaptive surfing.
A. Lucy Campbell (England) – Leading the Competitive Charge
Lucy Campbell became a multiple-time British Women’s Champion and established herself on the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS).
- Lucy is one of the UK’s most successful competitive female surfers
- She is a powerful, progressive surfer who has inspired more British and Irish women to pursue competition
- She continues to advocate for more representation of female surfers in sponsorships and media.
B. Peony Knight (England) – Pushing British Women’s Surfing Forward
Peony Knight is another top-tier British surfer, regularly competing in international events.
- Her smooth, technical surfing has earned her recognition in Europe and beyond.
- held her women's title at the 2020 MVMT English National Championships in March, and in 2017 she was ranked as Britain’s top surfer and fourth-best in Europe.
- Represents the next generation of British women aiming for the WSL Challenger Series.
C. Alys Barton (Wales) – The Rising Welsh Star
Alys Barton, one of Wales’ top female surfers, has been making waves in the international surf scene.
- Under-18 British Champion, showcasing Wales’ growing presence in competitive surfing.
- Currently ranked #19 on the Women's QS 2024/2025
- Competing in high-level European events, showing that Welsh surfers belong on the world stage.
D. Emily Currie (England) – Excelling in Both Shortboarding and Longboarding
Emily Currie has gained recognition in both high-performance shortboarding and traditional longboarding, proving her versatility.
- She has represented Team GB internationally.
- Currently ranked #63 on the Women's QS 2024/2025
- She was the youngest to be selected for Team England in the 2018 World Longboard Surfing Championships in China, where she finished ninth.
- Excels in classic longboarding, bringing style and grace to the competition scene.
E. Irish Female Surfing – A Quiet Revolution
While British surfing has traditionally been centered in Cornwall and Devon, Ireland has built a strong female surf community, with incredible talent emerging in the big waves of Donegal, Clare, and Sligo.
- Easkey Britton, a surfer, scientist, and activist, has been a major force in women’s surf culture and environmental advocacy.
- She is the first Irish woman to be nominated for the Global WSL Big Wave Awards
- She has helped push inclusivity on an International scale. In 2013 she travelled to Iran to introduce the sport of surfing to women there.
4. The Rise of Female Big-Wave Surfing in Britain and Ireland
Big-wave surfing has long been a male-dominated discipline, but female surfers from the UK and Ireland are proving they belong in some of the most dangerous and challenging waves in the world.
Laura Crane – A True British Surf Icon
Laura Crane is one of Britain’s best-known female surfers, gaining recognition not only for her competitive achievements but also for her work as a role model in women's surfing.
- Originally from Devon, she competed in international junior surf contests before expanding her career into media and surf advocacy.
- Though she gained wider fame from reality TV, Crane remains one of Britain’s most recognizable female surfers and continues to inspire young girls to take up the sport.
- She recently competed in the Tudor Nazare Big Wave Challenge, and is the first British woman to surf the 60ft waves of Nazare in Portugal
Women Taking on the Big Waves of Ireland
The west coast of Ireland has some of the most powerful waves in Europe, and female surfers have increasingly been making their mark on its famous big-wave spots.
- Easkey Britton was one of the first female surfers to tackle Mullaghmore, one of Ireland’s most fearsome big-wave breaks.
- More women are starting to train for big-wave riding, with better safety equipment and jet ski support making it possible for female surfers to push the limits.
Big-wave surfing requires fearlessness, strength, and mental toughness, and British and Irish female surfers are proving they have what it takes to ride the biggest waves the Atlantic has to offer.
5. The Rise of Female Adaptive Surfing in Britain and Ireland
One of the most inspiring developments in recent years has been the growth of adaptive surfing, giving more people access to the sport.
Melissa Reid – A World Champion Adaptive Surfer
Melissa Reid is a visually impaired surfer from Cornwall who has become one of the best adaptive surfers in the world.
- First ever British surfing World Champion in Visually Impaired Surfing, representing both UK surfing and female atheletes at the highest level.
- Represented Team GB in the ISA World Para Surfing Championships, showing the global strength of British adaptive surfing.
- 3x world champion and 7x British champion, as well as an ISA Level 2 surf coach
Expanding Opportunities for Adaptive Surfing
Across the UK and Ireland, more surf schools and organizations are creating opportunities for adaptive surfers:
- The Wave Project (UK) and Liquid Therapy (Ireland) run programs to help adaptive surfers gain confidence in the ocean.
- More surf competitions now include adaptive divisions, helping to grow the sport at all levels.
- Here in Bude, we are fortunate enough to have the incredible AdSurf- a charity set up in 2022, with the aim of including everyone who wants to experience the benefits of the sea and surfing, by providing accessible and adaptive surfing to people with disabilities, mental health conditions and neurodiversity
6. The Future of Female Surfing in Britain and Ireland
With outstanding surfers like Alys Barton, Emily Currie, and Melissa Reid leading the charge, the next decade looks bright for female surfing in the UK and Ireland.
- More investment in grassroots surf programs will bring surfing to girls from all backgrounds.
- With the Olympics including surfing, more British and Irish female surfers could compete at the highest level.
- The growth of women’s longboarding and alternative surfing styles, including adaptive surfing, will continue to make the surf scene more inclusive.
The dream of seeing a British or Irish woman competing on the WSL Championship Tour is becoming more realistic every year.
Final Thoughts: A More Inclusive and Exciting Future
From early pioneers to today’s world-class female competitors, women’s surfing in Britain and Ireland has come a long way. Whether it’s in competition, big-wave surfing, adaptive surfing, or free surfing, female surfers are proving that they belong in every lineup.
The future of women’s surfing is inclusive, diverse, and filled with opportunity. More women than ever are paddling out, proving that surfing is for everyone, everywhere!
