A woman surfing a longboard is a beautiful thing to behold. As beautiful as this is though, how much more beautiful is it that surfing inspires women? La Muse, the surf contest run for women and by women, celebrates this. It honours the exhilaration of surfing and the sisterhood it engenders.
The women longboard surfers of Cape Town are preparing to hold the second edition of La Muse, in August, as it’s women’s month. They plan to spread the love of surfing to women of different ages and abilities and infuse a mindfulness of both the community and the environment.
Novices of any age are welcome, as are competitive girls from as young as U14. The more experienced Mystics, Divas and Lady Legends might have a few more tricks up their 4″3 sleeves, but not as many as the ladies in the Open division. These women are South Africa’s best female longboarders, the queen wahines of precision and flow.

Photographer: Phil Craig Surfer: Marishka Myers
La Muse creates a space for all the mermaids along our shores to showcase their skills or be nurtured to push their personal boundaries. The organizers want to encourage and inspire young and not so young women to compete together in a fun, friendly and supportive environment.
As a women’s only contest, La Muse provides a platform for ladies to participate “in an inclusive, non-pressurised, and fun kind of way” says one of the contest organisers, Charmaine Adams. “It’s about getting back to the elements and enjoying the camaraderie and sisterhood of surfing”.

Photographer: Ryan Cragg Surfer: Christy Gilmore
And the good vibes don’t stop at the shoreline. With the help of Ocean Pledge, La Muse will be a Blue Ocean plastic free event. Contestants and judges will be supplied with metal water bottles by Faithful to Nature and Ocean Pledge has reached out to restaurants at Surfer’s Corner to reduce single use plastics, particularly for the weekend of La Muse. Each contestant will receive a recycling bag so they can pay their stoke forward by cleaning the beach.
The lady sliders will also have the opportunity to work along with the Beach Co-Op in their monthly beach cleanup during the weekend. Winter isn’t over, so the women entering La Muse will each receive a beanie that has been knitted by a pensioner from Lavender Hill. “The Young Knitters Club of Lavender Hill” is a Non-Profit Organisation that offers underprivileged women opportunities for education and employment.

Surfer: Mia Baard © La Muse
The organisers of La Muse want to share their stoke, and the gentle, spilling waves of Muizenberg provide the perfect playground for both novices and stylish sliders alike to come together with the aloha spirit. The organisers want the stoke “to be contagious and [they want to] create a tribe of superstar soul sistas.”
There will, however, be one thorn among the roses: our commentator, Deon Bing.
So mark the date in your diary. Ladies, (from all over South Africa) get those entry forms in before 1 August. (Goody bags, I’m told, will be amazing…not to mention the Skoon pamper tent.) Guys, plan to come on down to Muizenberg, to feast your eyes on style and grace. But don’t forget to bring your reusable coffee cup.
La Muse, sponsored by The Store, Faithful to Nature and Skoon, runs on 11th & 12th August at Muizenberg. Check out last years highlights here.