Beyond Gidget: Women in Surfing

1915
Duke Kahanamoku introduces surfing to Australia and teaches Isobel Letham (then 15 years old) to surf.

1931
After discovering tandem surfing in Hawaii, Pete Peterson and Lorrin Harrison bring tandem surfing to California.

1930s and 1940s
Ehtel Harrison and Mary Ann (Hawkins) Morrissey surf in California.

1940s and 1950s
Keanuinui Rochlen surfs in Hawaii and the women's surf community is established in Malibu.

1954 and 1955
Ethel Kukea wins the women's division of Makaha International Surfing Championship.

Cover for Islander (June 1941)

1957
The book Gidget is published in 1957 and the movie is released in 1959.

1959
15-year-old Linda Benson wins the first U.S. Championship in Huntington Beach.

1960s
Joyce Hoffman wins the Makaha International Surfing Championship in 1964 and five world titles between 1966 and 1971. At age seventeen Shelley Merrick wins her first contest and at age thirteen, Mimi Munro wins the East Coast Championship (1965). Margo Oberg wins numerous world titles.

1970s
The Women's International Surfing Association and Women's Pro Surfing are formed.

1980s
Pam Burridge becomes Australia's first professional surfer at age sixteen. Lisa Andersen turns professional as well. Frieda Zamba wins the first of four world titles.

1990s
Wahine, the first all-women's surfing magazine is launched, the first all-women's surf shop Water Girl opened in Encinitas and the first all-women's surf school is opened in La Jolla. Pam Burridge, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Layne Beachley and Trudy Todd are the best-known women surfers of the 1990s.

Timeline gathered from Girl in the Curl.