In Hawaii, surfing is known as the ‘Sport of Kings’, a pastime once reserved for male royalty and the ruling classes. And historically, from California to Cornwall and Sydney, the waters have been male-infested, for this reason surfing in Iran is unique. “It was women who started surfing here,” enthuses Dr Easkey Britton, the Irish pro surfer who was one of the first to practice her sport in Iran. “I was blown away by their passion and commitment and how popular outdoor action and lifestyle sports are for young women – wakeboarding, snowboarding, skateboarding and even triathlons!”
Named after a famous wave break in her home country, Dr Britton comes from a long line of surf legends. In the Sixties, her grandmother returned to Ireland from Malibu with two surfboards in tow; her five sons, including Dr Britton’s father, took to the waves, becoming some of the first pioneers to surf in Ireland.A PhD student winding down after an intense period of competitive surfing, curiosity and an unshakable desire for adventure led Dr Britton to Iran’s quiet coastal city of Chabahar, back in 2010. “My sponsors at the time didn’t support me – no opportunity to shoot next season’s summer range,” she jokes. “More seriously, I think it was fear of what Iran represented, and a lack of belief in what was possible.”
Discovering Iran through the eyes of an outsider, Dr Britton soon observed that the women she encountered were a formidable force, ready for the sense of freedom associated with surfing. “Every time I go to Iran, I’m stripped of any assumptions I might still be carrying,” she admits. “There’s Mona Seraji and Setareh Mazhari, who are both accomplished snowboarders – Mona is the first female snowboard instructor in Iran. Shahla Yasini, one of the first women I taught to surf, is also a professionally trained diver and Shirin Gerami is Iran’s first female triathlete.” There are, of course conflicts that come with the movement required for sport and the mandatory modest dress code in Iran, but aspiring regional designers and the international community have been making steps to accommodate this market. “It has been a challenge getting practical, full-body surf wear,” admits Dr Britton, who recently collaborated with design students at the University of Falmouth to create a modest surf-kit for women. “We have also collaborated with Capsters, who have donated their swim hijabs for the women’s surf workshops and Salt Gypsy, who design surf leggings.”
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Surfing is both a solo and group sport, but in Iran, the benefits did not stop with the individual – Dr Britton’s protégées are now teaching others. Feeding back into their communities, Seraji started the We Surf In Iran community, a foundation that develops surfing in Baluchistan and aims to create a cross-cultural exchange, while Mazhari is the woman behind Riders Of Hope, a non-profit organisation that supports positive acts surrounding extreme sports, like beach and mountain cleanups. “This has been one of the most powerful outcomes,” smiles Dr Britton, a regular keynote speaker on topics surrounding the environment and society. There are regular, self-organised beach cleanups... it shows how our relationship with our environment changes through a positive experience (like surfing); we form a stronger, emotional connection and want to take action.”
Much has changed since the story of the first female surfers in Iran. And, while the playing field is not yet even – Iran held its first ever marathon in 2016, but females were excluded – these women have managed to overcome not only gender, but also sartorial and cultural challenges to demonstrate strength, finesse and a desire to excel. A few years ago, female competitors – let alone professional ones – were practically unheard of in the region, which makes the success stories of its leaders all the more poignant.
