Former world surfing champ Layne Beachley calls on women to speak out or risk playing second fiddle to men

FORMER world champion Layne Beachley has called for women surfers to stand up for themselves or risk playing second fiddle to their male counterparts.

FORMER world champion Layne Beachley has called for women surfers to stand up for themselves or risk playing second fiddle to their male counterparts.

The seven-time world champion, who helped put women’s professional surfing on the map, said the sport’s current crop need to speak out against the poor conditions they are expected to surf in.

Beachley’s call to arms comes after the Roxy Pro was held in less than desirable conditions last week, conditions which almost cost current world champion Stephanie Gilmore a chance of defending her title.

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Gilmore was forced to paddle out in small and fickle waves for her elimination round two heat, and waited more than 10 minutes for a contestable wave, nearly costing her the heat.

Steph Gilmore found a last-minute wave to win her Round 2 heat on Tuesday and progress in the Roxy Pro. Picture: Tim Marsden

Beachley, 42, said the sport’s female surfers will continue to draw the short straw unless they speak out as a collective.

“The whole parity issue as far as conditions is going to be a never ending debate,” Beachley said.

“It is up to the women to make the call. They need the confidence to stand up and say no. Nobody knows what anybody thinking unless they speak up.

“If they think they are being compromised then it is their choice.”

Beachley, who now sits on the board for Surfing Australia, said she encountered numerous situations when she was on tour and the women surfers were forced to compete in bad conditions. She has called on some of the veteran surfers on the women’s tour, such as Stephanie Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons and Silvana Lima, to step up as leaders of the tour.

“I remember days we didn’t want to surf and we were being threatened by the contest sponsors. Especially the girls who were on that sponsor’s team,” Beachley said.

“The women aren’t under that pressure anymore (so) they need to stand up and say ‘yea or nay’ and be confident in their decision,

The small conditions were little worry for Brazilian Silvana Lima, who turned in a performance that had judges and spectators raving. Picture: Tim Marsden

“I’m not one to judge on what they’ve already done. If they made the decision to surf in small conditions then they should stand by it.”

Gilmore agreed with Beachley, adding that she speaks regularly with women’s commissioner Jessi Miley-Dyer and the tour surfers about their thoughts on the conditions.

“I believe as one of the girls who have been on tour a long time, it’s my role to help with the decision process,” Gilmore said.

“We do speak to each other and the officials about the conditions and agree on whether we should or shouldn’t surf.”