The World Surf League Will Pay Female Champs the Same as Men

This includes prize money at the famed Maverick’s competition.

In California industries like entertainment, technology and sports, women often receive a fraction of the compensation their male counterparts enjoy. As the wage gap issue became more visible in recent years, more and more women across the Golden State are turning their dissatisfaction into action. And, at least in some industries, it’s working. According to CAL Matters, the famous NorCal surf competition will extend the same award money to both the male and female champions in upcoming events.

Following the lead set by some tennis and cycling competitions, the World Surf League, which runs the Mavericks contest near Half Moon Bay, announced a new plan this week to pay men and women equal prize money starting on October 1. It came after an obscure three-person state panel indicated last month that it would only lease the public beach for Mavericks if women and men are awarded the same prize money.

“The waves do not discriminate,” the staff of the State Lands Commission wrote in an unusually blistering report.

“Male athletes are surfing and competing on the same waves as the female athletes… There doesn’t appear to be any reasonable justification to treat prize compensation differently.”