Your Girlfriend’s New Favorite Surf Contest

The organization is anchored in purpose-driven leadership and professional mentorship that instills women with confidence and the skills they need to be future leaders. 

"The Diva Cup was founded in response to a growing number of female surfers on the Central Coast,” explains Kyra. “Growing up participating in surf competitions, there was always a very small number of women competing. It was to the point where an 11-year-old would be surfing against a 40-year-old, and we'd all be competing for a trophy with a man on it, and maybe even win a men's wetsuit. After moving out of this small town and exploring, I moved back home to the Central Coast in 2022, paddled out at the Rock in Morro Bay, and was absolutely blown away to see so many women in the water. I thought, this calls for our own contest. We could literally have our own event with all women!"

Rather than simply chasing growth, however, these ladies keep it soulful, rootsy and all about the art and local community. Their main sponsor is Bread Bike Community Bakery and they’ve also partnered with California Sauna Club (portable beachside sauna), East/West Natural Medicine Center, Cruise Control Contemporary and Cayucos Hot Sauce. Unlike most surf competitions, the Diva Cup does not use competitor jersey real estate for sponsor logos, instead, they print an original design by local artist, McKenna Lenhart, embodying the grassroots feel of the event. 

Over 100 surfers joined last year’s Diva Cup, the premier event of Femme Futures Foundation, whose mission is to empower women worldwide through education, advocacy and events. Having been born to a pioneering surf mom, Miranda Joseph, Kyra grew up deep in the world of  surf competition culture since she was a child. 

“Growing up my mom was an active shred lord. I was bouncing around from contest to contest amidst the pro surf scene, most of my pre-teen peers seemed to either be a young pro surfer or a model and I never felt like I fully fit in. When I moved to the Bay Area as a young adult, I stumbled upon the alternative art and music scene, went to Burning Man and realized the parts of myself I thought I needed to hide were actually my super powers. That newfound authenticity allowed me to embrace what makes me, and all of us, different, harnessing a better understanding of myself and others. This concept evolved into the Diva Cup Surf Comp, encouraging radical self-expression and letting your freak flag fly.”

Many of the participants are competing for their first time–unless they’ve joined in past years or are competing in the professional division–and are able to join in a way that feels safe and inclusive. Kyra says the goal is to, “Keep it fun and all about community. This year, we’re stoked to shift the heat format to “round robin”, which shifts the scoring from against the people in your heat, to other competitors you’re not surfing against. You can cheer on and support the girls in your heat, without worrying about not advancing, and then all go babe-out (yap) in the sauna.”

In addition to the heats there will be a midday acoustic jam session, an official afterparty, dubbed the “Afterglow”, which will take place at sundown on the sand with live performances,  an awards ceremony, a "sausage fest” dinner party, all followed by a silent disco. The open merch design contest drew in so many amazing submissions that they partnered with the Cruise Control Contemporary, a nearby art gallery for a Diva Art Show and it’s safe to say the community came out to show support. They also create original Diva merch featuring multiple artists thanks to a partnership with WestCliff Ink. Kyra says, “They make it look super dialed and we’re honored to stoke competitors out with original designs every year, big thanks to Drew at Westcliff Ink! This year's merch design winner was Runar Schmidt, with Tea Trent as 2nd runner up.

Kyra also runs a radio show on KEBF 97.3 The Rock Community Radio which, in the months leading up to the event, becomes, you guessed it, Diva Radio. 

This is all to say that Kyra, Sierra, and Jo hit on something big when they started this femme-forward revolution in 2023. This year’s event is guaranteed to be its biggest and most boisterous iteration yet, showing that the movement is clearly one that was much needed for the female surf community – and surfing culture at large. The Diva movement is unstoppable.