Girls get fair share under new format
SURFING Queensland is doing its part to close the gap on gender equality after a step towards equal prizemoney in this year’s Queensland Championship Circuit.
Under a new format there is a base prizemoney amount of $750 per event, with 25 per cent of a competitor’s genderspecific entry fees on top.
The more entries there are in the division, the more prizemoney will be awarded. The announcement comes before the QCC’s opening event this weekend, the annual Michael Peterson Classic at Kirra Point on the Gold Coast.
The open men’s QCC has long been Surfing Queensland’s premier event series and includes stops at some of the state’s most iconic breaks including Currumbin Alley and Kirra Point.
In 2018, the introduction of the open women’s division to the series provided the state’s best female surfers with a greater platform to further develop their competitive surfing alongside Queensland’s best male surfers.
Surfing Queensland’s CEO Adam Yates hailed the closing gap between the genders.
“We’re excited to be offering equal prizemoney in this year’s QCC series,” said Yates.
“This is Queensland’s premier event series and we’re excited to once again be offering women the same competitive opportunities as the males. This year’s QCC series should be massive.”
Last year’s QCC open women’s champion Sasha Baker (Mudjimba) backed the change, which comes after last year’s historic WSL gender equality plan on the world tour.
“It’s great that there are more events for women to compete in now,” Baker said.
“I’d like to defend my title this year, but these events are also just great preparation for the QSs and Pro Juniors.”
The winners and runnersup of the QCC series will win a spot at the 2020 Quiksilver and Boost Mobile Pro Trials.