Lockdowns left many people in search of new hobbies and time to reflect on their life. With many choosing or able to work from home, it has freed up hours in the day that would usually be spent travelling to and from work, for leisurely activities.  

The big winner for women has been surfing. Becoming the fastest-growing activity during the pandemic, alongside soccer and basketball.  

With data from the Australian Sports Commission, 196,000 people aged 15 years of older have started surfing since 2020. Being the most popular among women.  

Samichhya Khadka is one of these women, who told the Australian Financial Review, “You definitely notice a change in mood when you go in the morning, so I feel very lucky to live and work close to the beach. The only problem is that you never want to leave the waves.” 

Ms Khadka begin surfing with a group of friends during lockdown, which soon became a regular routine for the group.  

With 72% of surfers being male according to the ASC, Ms Khadka says “It is very intimidating going out and seeing no other women, but at Bondi there’s sometimes 50 per cent women out there and usually at least one other group,”  

“Lots of them are really encouraging of the younger female surfers. There’s lots of camaraderie, and you do notice more and more women.” 

So if you’re looking to pick up a hobby, maybe look no further than the coastline.