Malta’s first-ever girls’ surf competition took place during sunset on the 22nd of June at Ghajn Tuffieha Bay, and it couldn’t have been a sweeter vibe!
10 competitors took to the beach for the Mermaids of Malta Surf Comp and shredded through 3 rounds of competitive surfing, with four judges marking each score.
| Round 1 Heat 1 | Round 1 Heat 2 |
| Cathy Faucheux | Nicole Zemoz |
| Mia Vickery | Mariah Buhagiar |
| Victoria de Castro | Lola Mindt |
| Yasmin Lewis | Nina Cassar Downing |
| Kristina Cassar Downing | Lexi Akosdottir Solar |
Valerio Cicconi, Hadrien Meyer, Sky Howes and Liam Spiteri took the responsibility of grading each heat, marking each wave and using the surfers’ best two scores to rank each round. They were treated to a flurry of great waves and used a combination of wavelength, wave height, skill and manoeuvres to make their decisions. Consistent judging was present throughout the day and their experience and communication was vital, as they explained their decisions clearly leaving no room for controversy.
After an exciting Round 1 that saw Cathy, Victoria and Mia advance from Heat 1, Nicole, Lola and Lexi joined them in the semi-finals from Round 2, after some excellent surfing.
Golden hour was the setting for the semis with gorgeous waves peeling over the bay, allowing the surfers to display their best abilities during two semifinals. As the sun worked its magic, bathing the bay in a gorgeous hue, the crowd loved the spectacle, cheering each surfer on throughout.
| Round 2 Heat 1 | Round 2 Heat 2 |
| Cathy Faucheux | Victoria de Castro |
| Mia Vickery | Lola Mindt |
| Lexi Akosdottir Solar | Nicole Zemoz |
As the sun set deeper, Lexi, Cathy, Victoria and Lola prepared for the inaugural women’s final. They were gifted with the biggest sets of the evening, despite darkness creeping in.
Making Surfing History
Lexi surfed extremely well all day, showing her manoeuvres, and finishing fourth overall. Our youngest competitor Victoria showed immense composure throughout the day and ended in third, while Lola pushed hard to finish second. Cathy’s determination and ability saw her hoisted off the sand and crowned the champ of the inaugural Mermaids of Malta Surf Competition.
The prize-giving ceremony was held on the beach too, with gorgeous prizes awarded from Malta Surf School, Bomba, Salumeria Gardens and Souvenirs That Don’t Suck. A special prize for the best wipeout was also awarded to Mia by SeaCat, not so much for wiping out, but for showing utter determination and tackling the swell well.
As the spectacular huge moon rose, casting light on our athletes, the evening ended with a bunch of surfers even heading to an afterparty, ending the day in style. History was made, as the power of women’s surfing in Malta continues to grow. This event would not have been possible without organizers Hadrien, Mark Strijbosch and Valerio, the Malta Surf School team, the judges, sponsors Salumeria Gardens, Souvenirs That Don’t Suck and SeaCat as well as the support of the whole community.
