At The Wave, a man-made surf park just outside Bristol, a growing number of women are taking to the water in a series of female-only surfing sessions designed to foster confidence, community, and inclusivity in a sport long dominated by men.
The initiative, known as “Sister Sessions,” offers seven surf events throughout 2025, providing a supportive environment for women of all experience levels to practise, progress, and connect.
Among those advocating for change in the sport is professional big wave surfer Laura Crane. Now 30, Crane began surfing at age seven after moving to North Devon from Bristol. Her career has since taken her to some of the world’s most challenging surf spots, including the towering 60-foot waves of Nazaré, Portugal.
But Crane’s path to professional recognition was not without obstacles.
“When I told my school careers adviser I wanted to be a surfer, she laughed,” Crane recalled. “‘Girls don’t surf,’ she said. But I told her, ‘I am going to be a professional surfer.’”
Crane signed her first sponsorship deal at just 12 years old, but quickly realised that women in the sport were often valued more for their appearance than their athletic ability.
“I was treated like a glorified bikini model,” she said. “It really knocked my confidence. I had to fight hard to be recognised for my physical ability.”
That experience has made her a vocal supporter of initiatives that uplift and include women in surfing. The Sister Sessions, she said, are part of a broader shift toward greater gender equity in the sport.
“There’s been a dramatic change,” said Crane. “We’re seeing equal prize money and women being signed for their talent. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress.”
Former Olympic snowboarder Jenny Jones, who transitioned to surfing after a snowboarding injury, is another advocate for women in action sports. She believes inclusive facilities like The Wave can play a transformative role.
“If it wasn’t for a dry slope near Bristol, I might never have become a professional snowboarder,” said Jones, who won bronze in slopestyle at the 2014 Winter Olympics. “The Wave has that same potential. It gives people a chance to try – and that chance can change everything.”
Jones said the female-only sessions allow participants to quickly form a sense of camaraderie.
“People show up nervous, but by the end they’re laughing, chatting, and pushing each other,” she said. “It helps you focus on getting better without the usual pressure.”
That pressure—especially in mixed-gender environments—can be a barrier for many, according to Charlie Rowen, chair of Bristol Girls Surf Club.
“Line-ups can be intimidating,” said Rowen. “Just knowing there’s someone behind you waiting for a wave can make you freeze. These sessions lift that pressure. It’s freeing, both physically and emotionally.”
Rowen added that even experienced surfers benefit from the sessions.
“We’ve seen advanced surfers flourish in this environment,” she said. “And for those of us who can’t regularly travel to the coast, The Wave offers consistency we wouldn’t otherwise get.”
For para surfer Zoe Smith, The Wave became a lifeline following a life-altering car accident in 2015 that led to the amputation of her lower leg. After several surgeries, she discovered surfing during the Covid-19 pandemic and booked a beginner session at the Bristol facility.
“At first, I had to drill holes in the foot shell of my prosthetic so the water could drain—it felt like dragging an anchor,” she said. “But the environment here gave me the safety and space to figure it out.”
Smith is now the reigning world champion in her para division and credits The Wave with rebuilding not just her physical strength, but her confidence.
“Surfing gave me a kind of lightness I had lost on land,” she said. “It gave me purpose again. The sport helped me reclaim a freedom I thought I’d lost.”
She added that sessions like the Sister Sessions create ripple effects beyond the pool. “It’s not exclusive—it’s deeply inclusive. Women meet, form friendships, and start making space for one another in line-ups across the country.”
That inclusive ethos is at the heart of the change Crane has long fought to see in the surfing world.
“We’re getting there,” she said. “Sometimes the world isn’t ready for you. But you have to be the change it’s not quite ready to see.”