Transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson claims historic victory in WA Longboard championships

Transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson has claimed a historic victory in WA, having been crowned men’s champion three years earlier.

West Australian longboarder Sasha Jane Lowerson, the first transgender woman to compete in surfing, has claimed a historic victory in the West Coast Suspensions Longboard and Logger State Championships on the weekend.

The 43-year-old, who was crowned the men’s champion three years earlier, won both the Open Women’s and Open Logger divisions on her home beach at Avalon, putting together a dominant performance in the left hand waves.

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Georgia Young placed second in the Open Women’s event, while Emily Gibbs claimed silver in the Open Logger division.

Lowerson, an outspoken advocate for transgender athletes, is a former World Surf League longboard tour competitor and surfboard shaper who transitioned last year.

She won the 2019 West Australian state title, competing as Ryan Egan, before transitioning to a woman a couple of years later.

“To be the first transgender woman competing in surfing hasn’t been an easy ride emotionally, but the amount of support I’ve been showed has been phenomenal and I’m so grateful to be involved, welcomed and embraced within the longboard community in Australia,” Lowerson said, as reported by The Australian.

Earlier this year, Lowerson approached Surfing Australia about returning to competition in women’s events and the sport welcomed her back with open arms.

“I’ve been surfing since I was a little boy,” Lowerson said on a YouTube podcast.

“I was a good junior surfer, I was surfing against grown men at 14 and winning.

“I knew at a very young age that I wasn’t a normal boy.

“For the best part of (my life) I thought she (Sasha) could never live, I had to put her in a box. That is something a lot of girls experience.

“About every two years I’d want to kill myself and I’ve had a good go at it.

“I had a real wake up call (suicide attempt in 2020), then I thought, ‘What are you doing? You are living a lie’.

“I made a decision to be truthful to me and the world and that is when I decided to unveil Sasha as such.

“I started a medical transition at the start of 2021. Up until then I hid from people surfing, I stopped surfing for six months. I basically took six months out of the water.

“Then I woke up one morning and said, ‘No it’s been my life, I can’t just walk away from my passion and life’.

“We are about to start formal talks with the World Surf League about the inclusion of diverse genders.”

Open Women’s Longboard results

1. Sasha Jane Lowerson (Mandurah) — 14.70

2. Georgia Young (Perth) — 10.63

3. Samantha Vanderford (Greenhead) — 9.27

4. Shae Sheridan (Dunsborough) — 8.67

Open Women’s Logger results

1. Sasha Jane Lowerson (Mandurah) — 13.97

2. Emily Gibbs (Dunsborough) — 11.37

3. Georgia Young (Perth) — 10.73

4. Shae Sheridan (Dunsborough) — 7.57

Originally published as Transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson claims historic victory in WA Longboard championships