Queen of the Groms

Just imagine a platform where all surfer girls, from every corner of the globe, can show what they can do and try their best to progress. More girls surfing and feeling inspired to surf is good for everyone! Ultimately It’s about health, happiness and feeling connected with nature. We want a chance to show that girls can surf too and they are also pushing the boundaries.

That’s what ‘Queen of the Groms’ is.

According to India Robinson:

“It all started just a few weeks ago with a group chat on Facebook messenger where surfer girls around the world started asking why only boys seemed to be able to enter the ‘young guns’ surf competition which is run via Instagram and allows kids from all around the world to share surfing clips tackling different surfing manoeuvres.

We started hashtagging some of our best clips – but we also decided to create our own Instagram page where we could share all the girls amazing talent.

The aim at first was simply to be heard and to show the progression of girl’s surfing. We all want a chance to show what we can do and to be motivated to try harder and improve.

Overnight we grew to 600 followers and then soon went to 1000 followers. With this exposure, we were privately messaged about how the competition was open to female surfers as well as boys – it just seemed that no-one had ever tried or been encouraged to try. We were so happy for the clarification and started submitting our clips.

This idea is open and welcome to all -every single female surfer was a part of this. Every single person who shared our story was a part of this. We love sharing the best girl grom surfing with the rest of the world through Instagram. And it’s so exciting to see submissions coming from countries as diverse as Israel, Canada, the USA and South America.”

So the whole movement of the Queen of the groms has shown a massive unity between young girls all over the world- sharing the motivation to be the best we can. For me, I’ve been competing with boys my whole life- from surfing in whitewash with my brother to competing to get a wave in the lineup. I love surfing with boys because they push you to new levels, so I was unsure about whether girls could enter the Young Guns competition- seeing as it was a male brand, male judges and only boys ever got selected.

But through coming together and asking ourselves, “Why not?!” We’ve got the attention and we know for sure, girls have an equal chance to make it as the boys!

The future of girls surfing is coming in hot! All around the world, picking up a surfboard and shredding! I say, watch out- as Queen B says so well…Who runs the world? GIRLS!

We want queen of the groms to be a way young girls can look up to other surfers and be motivated to try! We want to be strong, independent women; we want the same opportunities as the boys get… We want a future where 34 women are on the tour, not half as many!!!

Not getting a single girl in the next round of this year’s Young Guns only motivates us more to do it ourselves.

We know we are not ‘the same’ as boys- men may have more muscle, more aggression and more fearlessness – but we do think we should still be given the opportunities to gain equal respect.

Having a chance to showcase what we do in a global stage using surfing as a sport of diversity and uniqueness – there could be a place for the qualities that women bring to surfing – maybe it’s more style, grace, exuberance or even drama! Maybe there is even a place for more fun!

So, where do we go from here? Let’s spread the message, let’s find some supporters and sponsors to get on board and let’s run this Queen of the Groms comp!!!

It seems like an idea whose time has come. Maybe it’s time for girls to judge girls. 

Shredders in order left to right from the Gold Coast: Sienna Marshall, Shaye Leeuwendal, Pacha Light (me), Grace and Jasmine Kama, Konatsu Ido, Lily Wundke.

Shredders from Northern Beaches:

Gabi Spake, Cedar Leigh Jones, Hunter Roberts, Shayla Paterson, Sophie Fleeter, Blaze Roberts, Kyla Whitfield.

Photographed by Juan Medina and Rita Kulge.