Riding a wave

If Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore captures the gold medal when surfing makes its Olympics debut two years from now, it might not be her most meaningful victory.

Gilmore takes pride in being on the ground floor in the fight for a prize that could have a longer-lasting impact: equal pay for women on the professional tour where she and her rivals make their living.

The World Surf League put itself in rare company earlier this year with its decision to begin paying women the same as men, starting in 2019. While the majors and a few other tournaments in tennis have committed to paying women and men equal prize money, the WSL is the first U.S.based global sports league to make that move.

The fight for equal pay begun decades ago by Billie Jean King on the tennis courts — and still waged daily in corporations across America that have nothing to do with sports — has found a toehold on the beach.

When the 30-year-old champion started surfing on tour, women typically made around $12,000 for a win, while men — led by 11-time champion Kelly Slater — would rake in around $40,000.

Next year, women and men are both expected to make around $100,000 for a victory (men made $100,000 and women $65,000 in 2018).

Already a household name among surfing fans and her peers, an Olympic gold medal would go a long way toward expanding Gilmore’s reach.