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Better than Blue Crush!!!!!!!!
Banzai Betty will host First Ever Women's Stand Up Surfing Event at the
Banzai Pipeline! After several years of controversy, contemplation and
contempt women will finally get their day at the Pipeline. For years
by-standers have wondered why women weren't included in the ASP event
at Pipe, but surfers would always say it was because the world famous
surf break was too dangerous for the women. Even the women themselves
have been divided about whether or not they would want to compete at
Pipeline. For the past several years permits for Pipeline have been so
tight that a women's event at Pipeline or any new surfing event seemed
out of the question.
Ironically, local women surfers who have been getting edged out of the
Northshore contests for the past several years may have been the
catalyst which sealed the deal. Around the turn of the century, women
lost their honorary event at Sunset, first to the WCT girls, then all
together. As unfortunate as it was that the WQS at Haleiwa was once
again limited to WCT girls it may have been the push the women needed
to get their Pipe permit from the city. The city saw that there were no
professional surfing events in Hawaii all year for local women surfers
and granted Banzai her plea for the Pipe. Not only will the contest do
justice to local surfers, but it will also give all women surfers a new
opportunity. Unlike the men's tour, speciality or extreme women are not
offered a day of trials heats at breaks such as Teaupoo, Fiji, and
Honolua and the WQS tour is composed of beach breaks and small surf.
The Pipe event has the potential to breed a whole new generation of
women surfers and women's events.
You couldn't find a better person than Banzai Betty to host the first
ever women's surfing event at the Banzai Pipeline. With a nickname like
Banzai, you shouldn't have to ask if she surfed the Pipeline; she also
pioneered places like Waimea, and Sunset Beach back in the late 70s and
early 80s. What brought Betty to the Northshore back then was a ticket
which she had won as California WISA champion to compete in the
Smirnoff Sunset Pro where she placed third. Since then Betty has been a
strong force behind what has pushed women's surfing to a whole new
level. In the early 90s she began her career as a videographer, being
one of the first women to film from the water and the first media
personnel to really focus on the women, producing all women videos. It
is from this perspective perhaps that most inspired Betty to have a
women's contest at Pipe. "It is the most photographed wave" says Betty
who explains how the variety of water angles and close proximity to the
Beach will allow for great coverage which will "show off women's
surfing" On the other hand she explains that "Pipeline is not a wave
for everyone, but the girls who do go out and appreciate a steep take
off should have an opportunity to see where they stand against all the
other women" and though many complain that women don't have the ability
to surf Pipe Betty feels very passionately that "women should get the
opportunity to try", When shes not filming or surfing, Betty works at
channel 2 with several tasks such as news production, audio, graphics,
assistant director and of course the surf report. Other than being a
competitive surfer rated in the top 10, Betty has a history of
experience with directing, commentating and promoting surf contests.
She helped to organize the WISA circuit back in the 70s and put
together the first women's bodyboarding event at Pipeline in 1986. She
has worked for companies such as XCEL, ASP and ESPN. When it comes to
women's surfing; you might just call her the Queen B.
The first women's Pipe event will be held between the holding period of
March 11-16 in conjunction with the women's bodyboarding championships
to kick off their tour. Having women surfers and bodyboarders together
is a whole new platform as well. It should be an interesting experience
for the women to compete with other waterwomen instead of with the men.
It should build new bridges in the world of womens sports.
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BANZAI PIPELINE WOMENS PRO-AM CHAMPIONSHIP |
WHAT: THE FIRST EVER WOMENS SURFING EVENT AT PIPELINE, HISTORIC!
THE FIRST EVENT OF THE WOMENS BODYBOARDING WORLD
TOUR. |
WHEN: TWO DAY COMPETITION DURNING MARCH 6 THROUGH THE 11TH, 2005. |
WHO: THE BEST PIPELINE WOMEN SURFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL
BE AT PIPELINE FOR THE CHALLENGE. TOP WOMEN BODYBOARDERS |
WILL KICK OFF THEIR WORLD TOUR SEASON AT THE MOST FAMOUS SURF SPOT IN THE WORLD. |
WHERE: THE NORTH SHORE OF OAHU, HAWAII. THIS AREA IS THE MOST
RENOUNED AREA IN THE WORLD FOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITVE
SURFING AND IT HAS BEEN MADE EVEN MORE FAMOUS IN THE U.S.
BECAUSE OF THE TOP RATED FOX TELEVISION SHOW, NORTH SHORE.
PIPELINE SITUATED IN THE MOST FAMOUS SEVEN MILE STREACH OF
WORLD CLASS SURIFNG SPOTS IS RIDDEN BY THE CREAM OF THE CROP.
THE SPOT BREAKS CLOSE TO THE BEACH FOR EXCELLENT SPECTATOR
VIEWING AND PROVIDES THE SURFER WITH AN EXILLERATING
OPEN TUBE RIDE. IT ALSO HAS A PERFECT SET UP FOR
FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHS BECAUSE OF IT¹S EXCELLENT VIEWING FROM LAND AND CLOSE CHANNEL CAMERA ANGLE POSITIONS FROM WATER . |
EXPOSURE: ALL EYES WILL BE ON THIS EVENT. THIS WILL BE AN INTERNATIONALY RECOGNIZED EVENT AND WILL BE ON TELEVISION, RADIO,
NEWSPAPERS, VIDEO, DVD, FILM, INTERNET AND MAGAZINES ALL OVER
THE WORLD. POTENTIAL VIEWERSHIP IS LIMITLESS. |
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CONTACTS: BANZAI PRODUCTIONS BETTY DEPOLITO PO BOX 573 HALEIWA,
HAWAII 96712 |
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GARY KEWLEY SURF NEWS NETWORK 808-295-SURF (7873)
SURFNEWSNETWORK.COM
GUINN ALLEN 808- 277-4636 positive4you@aol.com |
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