All-female surf contest is Sept. 18 at Jacksonville Beach

Jacksonville Beach will be the site for the Eidon Presents the 23rd Annual Sisters of the Sea Surf Classic & Beaches Go Green Women’s Pro, an all-female surfing contest. The competition will be held Saturday, Sept. 18, on the south side of the Jacksonville Beach Pier.

Free yoga, provided by Yoga Mix, will begin at 7:45 a.m. The surfing will begin at 8 a.m.

Registration is $40 per division and $80 for the Beaches Go Green Pro division. It is now open on www.liveheats.com/sistersofthesea.     

Divisions include novice to advance in both short and long board. The contest is capped at 150 entries and each participant receives a goodie bag full of swag, including a contest T-shirt. Entry deadline is noon Friday, Sept. 17, so prospective competitors will want to get registered right away. There will be no beach entries.

The pro women’s sponsor, Beaches Go Green, is encouraging all in attendance to bring their reusable water bottles, because they are providing water for refills. Organizers hope this will help to reduce waste.

Sisters of the Sea will donate the proceeds from the contest to three charities this year:

• “Bosom Buddies” at the Women’s Center of Jacksonville, which provides education and support for those affected by breast cancer.
• Live for Today, a nonprofit helping young adults with cancer, encouraging and uplifting them through new experiences and adventure.
• SurfearNEGRA , a nonprofit focused on bringing culture and diversity to the sport of surfing.

The donated proceeds will come from the raffle where, for a few dollars, one can win surfboards, skateboards, works of art, sunglasses, gift certificates, spa treatments and more. Tickets are available for purchase during the contest. Winners do not have to be present.

“Sisters of the Sea has held a vital role in the surf community of Northeast Florida for over 23 years,” said Samantha “Sam” Ryan, president of Sisters of the Sea. “We are for empowering all women and girls, in and out of the water, while giving back to our community. We accomplish this by simply sharing the stoke of surfing and doing what we love.”

Major sponsors include Eidon Surf, Beaches Go Green, JOI, Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, Natural Life, Flamingo Magazine, Saltwater Cowgirls, AquaEast, Jax Surf & Paddle, Sunrise, Spy Sunglasses, Yoga Mix, Marloru Bags, Great Atlantic Outfitters and American Scaffolding.

For more information, contact Sam@SistersoftheSea.org or go to www.sistersofthesea.org or on social media@sistersofthesea.