OAKLEY/GLTR SURF CAMP

Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7:

Jellies and stingrays cruising by your toes, sharks lurking, waiting to pull you to a watery grave; the most challenging aspect of surfing may be convincing yourself to get in the ocean. Surf instructor, Monica Thatcher, 19 sketches a graph of sandbars and currents for beginning surfers, pointing out the difference between a “good fin” (dolphin) vs. “bad fin” (shark.)

“I’ve always been in the ocean,” said Oakley rider Sage Erickson of her confidence in the water, “but I think a lot people are afraid of getting held under, getting hit by their board, or sharks now-a-days. So I see that being that hardest part [of surfing.]” Erickson was on-hand as Oakley and Girls Learn To Ride (GLTR) host a women’s surfing camp June 6-7 at Mission Bay Aquatic Center in San Diego, CA for women who want a new experience and a taste of the surfing lifestyle. GLTR has helped build women’s confidence in the water and on a board since 1999, hosting 800 action sports clinics and camps nationwide.

Surfers saw a sneak-peak of summer; sun shining, waves curling into Mission Beach with the Rolling O crew posted up across the street at the aquatic center. Tables laid out prime surfing fuel for the women; bagels, fruit and burritos with Oakley’s latest styles and fashions on display.
After a lesson on water safety the women were instructed on the art of the pop-up before suiting up and hauling their eight- foot boards to the shoreline. Girls and women ranging from ages 12-40 paddled out, including 20 year old Cindey Hernandez who had taken two surfing lessons before and was stoked to ride a board again. Surgery put surfing on hold for Hernandez, but she’s back at it with the help of GLTR. After catching waves and battling the whitewash for a few hours, Hernandez’ had a swollen ankle and a big smile.

The novice surfers left the beach with ocean safety knowledge, a full belly of burritos and the stoke that only surfing can provide. Each surfer also received a gift bag that included a towel and sunglasses as Oakley raises awareness of the women’s line, contributing to the growth of the industry. As more companies branch out to support female board-riders the crew rolls on, increasing the number of women in the water.