JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The World Surf League Air Force Super Girl Surf Pro Finals were held Sunday morning at Jacksonville Beach and a 14-year-old Jacksonville native was one of the surfers going for the top spot.
“Really stoked to win in front of my home crowd and everyone’s here, it’s so awesome to see the support," Lanea Mons said.
Mons started surfing at 9-years-old. Now 14, the young surfer is excelling and competing in the finals during this year’s Air Force Super Girl Surf Pro.
“My dad, he’s been surfing his whole life and one day he sent me [to] a surf camp here," Mons said. “I realized as I was surfing, that I wanted to try competing events so, that’s how I ended up competing.”
It’s the third year the contest has taken over Jacksonville Beach but, the event has been going on since 2007 and is the only large scale, all women’s action sport, esport and lifestyle series in the world.
“The whole goal of the Super Girl Surf Pro is to empower young women, provide opportunity, inclusion and equality for woman across sports entertainment," Rick Bratman, an event coordinator, said. "All these places where it just hasn’t been a level playing field."
Over 500 female athletes competed during the three-day competition. A majority showed off their surfing skills in the water, but others were on the sand for events like beach volleyball, soccer and esports.
Hundreds of fans cheered from the beach, some just like Mons who see no limit in what they can achieve because of events like this.
“If you have a dream, work hard to get there and keep chasing that dream," Mons said. "Give it all you got and keep going for it [because] if you work hard, you’ll get there."
