Women of the Waves co; Fuel Women Bodyboarding Shark Island

Hi, my name is Rio, I'm fundraising for Lilly and Sophie, two fierce, saltwater-soaked souls chasing an untamed dream—to ride one of the world’s most powerful waves, represent women in bodyboarding in the 2025 Shark Island Challenge and rise together in a sport they’ve loved since their childhoods.

We’re not just chasing trophies.

We’re chasing belonging.

We’re chasing legacy.

We’re chasing limitless horizons where women carve new lines in oceans once told weren’t ours to ride.

Meet Lilly, from Kiama, Australia to compete in the Shark Island Challenge (SIC)! Lilly has over 30 years of bodyboarding experience that she brings as a pioneering position to our community! Lilly’s passion has her capable of bodyboarding wild and remote heavy slabs in Australia, Puerto Rico, Pipeline to name a few. She has been fundamental in the Australian and International bodyboarding scene; we are grateful she rode the emotional waves of pioneering women’s presence in a male-dominated sport! Alongside championship events, Lilly is especially proud of her bodyboard coaching school and the people she’s met and helped on their bodyboarding and life journeys.’ From Lilly, “In regards to SIC, being invited last year was such an honour and then once the event was over, all I could think about was to be able to share that honour with other girls in the event, so I’m just soooo stoked and so so proud of the boys at SIC for making this happen. YEAH THE GIRLS!” Donate to show Lilly our community spirit and as an acknowledgement as to how many women will be inspired by seeing Lilly compete at the Shark Island Challenge 2025!

Meet Sophie, from NSW, Australia, who feels so lucky to have Women of the Waves co to support her! She knows there are so many female bodyboarders around the world, "but it can feel hard to find and connect with them. Having this community is really important because it’s a safe space for any female bodyboarder at any level, to meet one another and share the stoke."

Sophie feels like the ocean has brought her so much, “you never know what to expect and you can never underestimate it, which keeps me humble and curious. I feel like I am completely myself when I’m in the water, whether it’s bodyboarding or diving.”

Sophie’s dream is to keep travelling to bodyboard amazing waves and explore the world with her fiance, Alex. She feels lucky that her fiance and her Dad have so much stoke for bodyboarding.

Bodyboarding since she was 14 years old, Sophie is vibrant and passionate, progressing her bodyboarding in heavy waves internationally, she has lots of quality advice for her younger self…

“Ignore any comments about being a chick bodyboarder, and stand up for yourself. Just go and have fun. Get your friends into bodyboarding and find a great support group.”

So, with her humour and all-rounded zest for life, let’s show Sophie our community support, to see how her humility, courage and passion will reward her at the Shark Island Challenge 2025.

We’re not asking for charity. We’re asking for community. For women who lift women. For men who lift women. For wave lovers who believe in grit, grace, and breaking ceilings. For anyone who's ever dared to believe in something bigger than themselves.

✨ Support our ride. Help us show the world what two determined women can do with a bodyboard, a dream, and a wave that won’t wait.

The Expenses needed are going towards both Athletes Entry fees into the SIC Challenge event 2025, of which already have their Invites to the Main Event.

The first 50 donations will get a story shout-out on IG, Please message your Instagram Handle in your Donation process! Or DM us on IG with a screenshot of your payment and we'll make sure you get your PDA!

EVENT INFO: https://sharkislandchallenge.com/

Lastly, Thank you so much for your time and energy! ALL DONATIONS ARE VALUABLE!! I have the privilege of doing this work as Women of the Waves co. Founder, born in New Zealand and raised in Perth. I have been bodyboarding for over 20 years both competitively and free-surfing. I now live in the Margaret River region and am well known as a big wave charger in the global bodyboarding scene. I worked for Surfingmums.com for 6 years and I later founded Women of the Waves co with the vision to connect and empower women in the surf because I believe that with a supportive community life is more fun, fulfilling and satisfying.

With gratitude and stoke!

Rio

PN. We’ve done it!!

Just an admin update, I’m going through communications with GOFUNDME, each donation has a transfer cost associated to it, which has meant we are able to accept the $3,055.00 so the extra money for entry fees is covered. I didn’t realise beforehand and so the rest will be covered in a personal donation by me. Thanks again to everyone for your support! What and incredible effort to raise this in such a short time!! I’m still so taken aback. Go Lilly and Sophie