Summer Surf Girl competition to change its name to Summer Surf Program

Surf Life Saving Queensland’s iconic Summer Surf Girl pageant is no more. After more than 50 years, the flagship fundraiser which has raised close to $17 million has succumbed to a major shift in format, and entrants are being sternly warned to take note.

SURF Life Saving’s iconic Summer Surf Girl pageant is no more.

After more than 50 years in existence, ‘girl’ has been dumped from the name of the flagship fundraiser which has its finale on the Gold Coast this weekend.

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Instead, the event is now somewhat blandly known as the Summer Surf Program.

And entrants - or ‘ambassadors’ as they’re officially known - are being warned to get with the new program.

“It should NOT be referred to as Summer Surf Girl, Miss Surf Girl or as a quest or beauty pageant,” the conditions of entry state.

Point Lookout surf lifesaver Anne-Marie Westby (Centre) who took out the 2016 Summer Surf Girl title.

But despite the name change, plans to make the event gender neutral have not yet been implemented.

The entry conditions state the event is open only to female lifesavers as it has been since it began in 1964.

Flagging the name change last year, an SLSQ spokesperson said it was done to “recognise that participants (past, present and future) are inspirational, dedicated and skilled lifesavers and we want the program name to reflect that”.

Britt Brymer from Palm Beach is a competitor in the Summer Surf Girl Competition. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“There are still additional changes to the program being considered, including making it gender neutral, however, these changes are yet to be confirmed,” they said.

“What is absolutely certain is that the Summer Surf Program will continue to have its core focus of developing leadership opportunities for the ambassadors who take part while continuing to provide an opportunity for clubs to raise much-needed funds...”

The former Miss Surf Girl and Summer Surf Girl events have raised almost $17 million for Queensland Surf clubs since the event began 55 years ago.

Originally published as Summer Surf Girl competition to change its name to Summer Surf Program