12th annual East Coast Wahine Championship

The 12th annual East Coast Wahine Championship brings hundreds of female surfers to Wrightsville Beach.

The East Coast Wahine Championship is the largest women’s surfing contest on the east coast and has contestants of all ages, proving that whether you’re 5 or 55 you’re never the wrong age to catch a wave.

Cayce Patterson and her daughter Codie are both competing.
Cayce says Codie started surfing when she was 18 months old and that surfing is their life and that they live to surf.

This mother daughter competitive surfing duo is not alone.
56 year old Mimi Munro has been surfing for more than 20 years.
“I’m one of the older ones now, I used to be one of the younger ones and to be here especially for the younger ladies is important,” said Munro.

The surfers say there are many reasons they love their sport.
12 year old competitor, Madison Ashcraft said “my favorite part about surfing is the feeling when you get on the wave and when you’re riding it down the side I just love that.”

Another big draw of surfing is that it takes strength, helps you get in shape and all those rough spills will keep you tough.

“I think maybe sometimes guys underestimate us of how strong we are and what we do so I think this is a good way to show it” Ashcraft said.

These ladies don’t plan on hanging up the surfboard anytime soon.

“I’ll be surfing until I can’t surf any more until I can’t stand on the surf board” Cayce Patterson said.

The contest finals will be held Sunday at Wrightsville Beach behind the Oceanic restaurant.