Surfing Is No Longer Seen As A Men's Sport And This Is The Proof...

China's economic boom has turned a tiny island off the mainland into a top spot for female surfers. Photographer Neale Haynes hangs ten with the girls making waves at the Women's Longboard Championships.

Female surfing
Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)
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China's economic boom has turned a tiny island off the mainland into a top spot for female surfers. Photographer Neale Haynes hangs ten with the girls making waves at the Women's Longboard Championships.

'These days, girls want to ride the waves too,' says Karina Rozunko, 17, a professional surfer from California. 'They don't want to just sit on the beach and watch their boyfriends do it.'

The talented girls you'll see pictured below all took part in the Swatch Girls Pro World Longboard Championship on the Chinese island of Hainan.

Emma Neuschwanger from Bordeaux, France and Coline Menard from La Rochelle, France.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Rachel Tilly from the USA was the youngest competitor at just 15.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Justin Dupont from Lacanau, France.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Californian Kassia Meador.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Coline Menard from La Rochelle, France but lives on the Reunion Islands.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Californian Kassia Meador.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Victoria Vergara, 19, from Reunion Islands.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Victoria Vergara, 19, from Reunion Islands.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Californian Tory Gilkerson.

Female surfing

Female surfing
(Image credit: Neale Haynes)

Victoria Vergara, 19, and Emma Neuschwanger, 22.

See more of Neale's stunning photos in the April issue of Marie Claire. Got a tablet? You can now download Marie Claire magazine straight to your iPad, Kindle (just search the store for 'marie claire magazine'), Nook or Google Nexus.

Suzannah Ramsdale
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