Layne Beachley endured bullying but still became the best
SHE was harassed, bullied and reduced to tears, but seven-time world champion Layne Beachley says it’s a different world for today’s female surfers.
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SHE was harassed, bullied and reduced to tears, but seven-time world champion Layne Beachley says it’s a different world for today’s female surfers.
As our top athletes ride a wave of success and a growing swell of young girls try their hand in the sport, Beachley said she was proud of the fact she had helped make the world of surfing a better place for women and plans on continuing her mission.
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“I got pushed, shoved, my leg rope pulled, they did their best to intimidate me. I did put my tail between my legs and cried sometimes, “ said Beachley, who with fellow world champion Pam Burridge was honoured at Sally Fitzgibbons’ Celebration of Women in Surfing Gala at Manly last night.
“It would not be accepted now.
“I paddled out at Freshie (Freshwater on Sydney’s Northern Beaches) a month ago and we (women) outnumbered the guys. That’s great.
“They don’t have the hostility I encountered. I don’t see any guys harassing women like I was harassed. Telling me I didn’t deserve to be on the water because I am a girl, going on tour and being treated like a second class citizen by the industry and surfers themselves.”
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Beachley, who has become a powerful advocate for the encouragement of women in sport, says she has no recollection of ever receiving an apology from anyone for the abuse or treatment she endured during her surfing career.
“No. No. Not that I’m aware of. They were obviously just doing what they felt was right at the time,” she said.
“They poured me cups of cement every day to harden me up.
“It was part of the generation I grew up in.
“I just ensure when I see a girl out there that I try and be supportive so it never happens again.”
Fitzgibbons, who has been mentored by Beachley in the past, said creating an annual forum like tonight’s gala for the stories of past champions to be told inspires and gives courage to new generations of surfers.
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“Layne and Pam, and the others, they were so brave and they showed us how to be brave,” Fitzgibbons said.
“Those sore points for Layne’s generation have been smoothed out and now each generation can only get better and better.”
While the battle for this year’s world title heats up, Beachley’s focus is bigger picture.
Chairwoman of Australian Surfing, author, motivational speaker, contest director and philanthropist, Beachley believes more women are needed in positions of powers and the stories of the past need to be told to inspire a different culture
“I want to see more diversity in the industry when it comes to leadership. I want to see more women in senior executive roles, more opportunity for women after they retire,” said the 45-year-old.
“I’m sharing my stories to increase the awareness and marketability of the sport.
“When I was competing I thought the more people know about me they will want to support me and women’s surfing.
“I also saw how little attention we really got unless we did scandalous or risqué thing like Wendy (Botha) posing nude in Playboy, or if we brought ourself or the sport into disrepute, negatively creating headlines.
“So I embraced every opportunity and then realised the importance of storytelling.
“I think I have made women’s surfing a lot more mainstream by sharing my stories.
“The trajectory is really positive. The WSL (World Surf League) is invested. The girls are earning great money. It is a really good place. “They just need to not forget where it has come from.”
Beachley said Fitzgibbons’ work to establish the surfing gala was “a beautiful thing”.
“It is pretty special. I always felt like a black sheep in the surfing industry,” she said.
“When I left Billabong I was referred to as a loose cannon, so to be recognised by your peers is what makes success worthwhile.
“It is really rewarding to have the opportunity to share my story and evolution as a human being, with some women who weren’t even born when I was surfing.”