First-Ever ASP-Sanctioned Women’s Longboard Contest in Hawaii
The Roxy Jam Honolulu presented by Schick Quattro for Women will be held August 23-25, 2007 at Queens Beach in Waikiki as part of the Duke’s OceanFest in honor of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. The event is the first-ever women’s longboarding competition sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) to be held on the Hawaiian islands and is the first event of the 2007/2008 ASP Women’s World Longboard Tour (WWLT).
“To celebrate longboarding at the birthplace of surfing means so much to the Roxy brand. We’ve long supported women in competitive surfing and this is the perfect venue to give these talented athletes the recognition that they deserve,” said Randy Hild, EVP of Global Marketing, Roxy.
The Roxy Jam Honolulu is a three-star rated open-pro contest and one of the biggest ASP women’s longboard events for 2007/2008. From a field of 64 competitors, Roxy team-riders Kassia Meador, Jenn Smith (2006/2007 WWLT Champion), Julie Cox, Kula Barbieto (HAW) and Crystal Dzigas (HAW) will compete alongside other pro longboarders Schuyler McFerran, Janna Irons (HAW), Mary Osborne, Joy Magelssen (HAW) and Cori Schumacher.
In addition to the $5,000 prize purse up for grabs, competitors will also vie for the $3,000 SchickR QuattroR for WomenT Best Style award given to the surfer who demonstrates the best style throughout the contest. The Roxy Jam Honolulu is also one of the qualifying events for the 2008 Women’s World Longboard Tour Championships with first place finisher receiving an all-expense paid trip for two to France for the Roxy Jam Biarritz.
On Thursday, August 23, Roxy will host a special open-to-the-public autograph signing at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach with Roxy team-riders Kassia Meador, Jenn Smith, Kula Barbieto (HAW) and Crystal Dzigas (HAW). Surfing legend and WWLT founder Linda Benson will be on the sand at Queens to show her continued support for women’s longboarding.
In 2006, Roxy and Linda Benson formed a partnership to develop and grow the ASP-sanctioned tour. Linda also oversees the Roxy Jam Cardiff as the official contest director.
The Women’s World Longboard Tour, in its second year, has grown from three to nine stops for 2007. Roxy currently sponsors four of the nine events on the tour, including stops in Australia, Hawaii, California at Cardiff Reef and the WWLT Championship event in Biarritz, France. Following the event in Hawaii, the girls will travel to California to compete in the six-star rated Roxy Jam Cardiff, to be held September 21-23, 2007.
