Six women to compete for own Mavericks title: Big wave surf competition to host first women’s division

San Mateo Daily Journal - Samantha Weigel

Coastside resident and activist Sabrina Brennan, a local harbor commissioner who’s advocated for women’s inclusion and is working with the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, said she’s thrilled to see this first step.

“This is just really fantastic news and nice that it’s happening the same year that we are hopefully going to be electing our first woman president. I think it’s a really important year for women and I’m glad to see their recognition and they’re making a significant step forward toward the inclusion of women and I hope that grows,” Brennan said.

Brennan noted many of the group’s requests — such as having women involved in the selection process, providing more than just a one-heat women’s division and an equal purse prize — still stand.

“My hope is that the event evolves,” Brennan said. “There needs to be real equity.”

Women to surf at Titans of Mavericks

The Mercury News - Julie Jag

“I’m pretty excited about what’s going on, especially since Friday I was pretty pissed off,” said Sabrina Brennan, who has been a driving force for the inclusion of women in the competition.

Brennan, a San Mateo County Harbor District Commissioner, made her initial push for inclusion when she appeared before the California Coastal Commission during its local meeting in 2015. She asked the CCC to make including women in the contest a requirement for obtaining the commission’s permit. The commission voted to adopt the requirement for future permits. 

Brennan said Wednesday’s announcement is good news. Still, she noted that the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing — the group founded by pro surfers Bianca Valenti, Keala Kennelly, Paige Alms and Andrea Moller — will continue to push for equal treatment.

“It is great news. I’m very excited about it,” Brennan said. “I think having the dialogue is very important.”

“Whoever holds the permit needs to run a professional event,” she added, “and that means including equity for women.”

Harbor Commissioner Brennan Brings Greater Public Access to the Coast

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HALF MOON BAY – San Mateo County Harbor Commissioner Sabrina Brennan is proud to announce that the Harbor District has voted to hire an architectural firm that specializes in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The proposal approved by the board at their regular meeting on Wednesday night is the first step in the process to bring the district’s property into the modern age.

Commissioner Brennan, who ran four years ago on a platform that included improved public access and modernization, said: “This is going to provide much more equitable access to the coast for all people. Some of these improvements have been needed for decades. I’m really grateful that our general manager heard my concerns on this issue and that the board voted in favor of this proposal. Hopefully this process will enable us to designate funding in our next budget to bring the Harbor District into compliance.”

Ms. Brennan is running for reelection to continue her work in bringing fiscal reform, transparency, and environmental responsibility to the Harbor District. Along with her previous endorsements from the Sierra Club and State Senator Jerry Hill, she continues to amass support from organizations like the Coastside Fishing Club, the Peninsula Young Democrats, Equality California, and the San Mateo Daily Journal. She remains the first and only out lesbian elected to a countywide office in San Mateo County.