For the WSL’s Championship Tour, 2024 was a banner year in terms of seeing women shine in draining, open caverns over shallow reefs. Think Caity Simmers starting the year winning Pipeline, or local Tahitian Vahine Fierro beating the world’s best as a wildcard at Teahupo’o. But it wasn’t just a few surfers, it was the entire tour that stepped up.
Women’s surfing is also progressing in the big-wave realm. We received dozens of entries of women paddling and towing into Nazaré, Jaws, Mavericks and beyond. Without a doubt, there are more women in these lineups than ever before. In the end, however, we had to select three waves that stood above the rest from two professionals who’ve been at this for a long time. Two of those waves were ridden by Australian Laura Enever, and the other was from San Francisco’s Bianca Valenti.
Laura truly got after it this year, chasing (and finding) some of the best waves of her life. But she made a point to try barrels she wasn’t that familiar with. Her two nominations for Ride of the Year embody that. She hadn’t been to Shipstern’s in five seasons, yet she sent it over the step and into a clean (if terrifying) Tasmanian tube. She had never towed proper Teahupo’o, yet there she was letting go of the rope and sliding on her backside rail. Gotta doth the Gath to Laura.
Related: Laura Enever Makes Step, Finds Gem Under Shipstern Bluff
Bianca, meanwhile, held her ground amid the shifting peaks and elongated closeouts at Mexico’s most powerful beachbreak, Puerto Escondido. The Bay Area woman who commits her winters to Mavericks said a revamped training and meditative mindset have left her “feeling my best ever.” She played the waiting game for several hours and was rewarded with tunnel vision on a beautiful stretched-out righthander. Find out which woman will take home Ride of the Year at the SURFER Big Wave Challenge award show at Nazaré on October 19, which will be streamed online here.
Related: Bianca Valenti Knifes, Threads Puerto Escondido Chamber