Women haven’t always had a prominent position in the sports world. The same can be said for the role of women in extreme sports. While extreme sports are still fairly new to the general population, some women are rising to the top and helping to break down the barriers between extreme and traditional sports.
One of the most notable female competitors in action sports was active long before many of the sports were even popular. As the sole female member of the legendary Team Zephyr, Peggy Oki helped skateboarding evolve into the raw, powerful sport it is today. She didn’t just keep up with the boys; she helped lead the pack. Oki didn’t stop with skateboarding either. She is a surfer from way back, a mountain biker and mountain climber. Peggy Oki is definitely an example of how comfortable women can be in the world of action sports.
If there were a female alpha-dog in action sports, she would go by the name of Robyn Benincasa. Adventure racer Benincasa has finished in the top five of more expedition races than many competitors have finished. As the captain of her own team, Team Merrill, Benincasa has powered through grueling, multi-sport races that cover hundreds of miles and several days, often in extreme environments. She has proven that women can be as strong and as determined as any of her male counterparts. Benincasa also serves as a role model for women in her career. She is a member on an all-female firefighting crew in California.
Although female athletes have proven that they can physically compete in a wide range of action sports the opportunities haven’t been equal with those of male competitors. Coverage and prizes for females have not only been much less than those of the males, they have failed to increase at a comparable rate to the men. In response to the discrepancies, the Action Sports Alliance, a non-profit alliance of professional female skateboarders and other action sports athletes, turned to ESPN executives before the 2006 summer X Games. They lobbied for, and won, an increase in both the women’s prize purse and television coverage for women’s skateboarding. They also opened the door for the women’s surfing competition to debut at the 2007 summer X Games. Leading the way was the president of the Action Sports Alliance, Cara-Beth Burnside. Burnside is a prominent figure in women’s skateboarding and an Olympic snowboarder.
It isn’t just in professional action sports that women are participating. Women are also enjoying extreme sports in a recreational level. Being involved in such intense activities provide women with a sense of empowerment and dramatically increase their self-confidence. One reason for the empowerment is that unlike in team sports, most action sports are self-directed. When you excel at an action sport, you can take pride in the fact that it is YOU that has accomplished the end result.
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