Pauline Menczer receives International Women's Day Award 2026
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Council will honour remarkable athlete and trailblazer for equality Pauline Menczer with Waverley Council’s International Women’s Day Award.
Presented annually at Bondi Pavillon, the award honours an outstanding local woman for their achievements and contributions to breaking down gendered barriers.
Pauline has been a long-standing competitor in professional surfing on the global stage. At 18 years old she won the 1988 women's amateur world title before taking out the 1993 women's world championship aged 23.
Her journey to the top was far from an easy ride, and is a story of grit, resilience, fortitude and the resolve to never take no for an answer.
The prejudice and systemic sexism in surfing at the time meant there was little in the way of sponsorships for women surfers, with Pauline having to fund her own journey to the world championships, often sleeping in her car or in tents. Even when she took out the top title, she received no cash prize, just a broken trophy.
Pauline’s dogged pursuit of world titles was also underpinned by bouts of chronic pain, from a near lifelong battle with crippling rheumatoid arthritis.
There were days in which even simple movements like bending her fingers or walking on the beach were nearly impossible.
However, once entering the water Pauline moved with a unique style characterised by agility, speed and an uncanny ability to read the waves.
In 2018, she was inducted into the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame, 25 years after her triumph at the world championships, and the same year the World Surf League finally awarded the same prize money to male and female competitors.
Pauline has been an outspoken and tireless advocate for gender equality in sport. She was involved in multiple protests and wasn’t afraid to call out the inequities of her industry.
Her efforts in rallying for greater opportunities, sponsorships and recognition for women surfers have helped pave the way and open many doors for those who followed in her footsteps.
Last year, Pauline’s legacy as both a surfer and changemaker was immortalized in a bronze statue at South Bondi, overlooking the beach where she first learned to surf.
The statue was crowdfunded and gifted to Waverley Council by a grassroots community organisation Pauline in Bronze.
Her story of resilience, persistence and smashing through glass ceilings makes her a very worthy recipient of Waverley Council’s International Women’s Day Award for 2026.
The event will feature an inspiring conversation between Pauline Menczer and literary interviewer Michaela Kalowski, discussing topics of resilience, progress and changing attitudes for women in sport.
Tickets to this free community event can be booked on the Bondi Pavilion website. In support of International Women’s Day, the public are invited to consider make a donation to Lokahi Foundation when booking. Based in the Eastern Suburbs, Lokahi Foundation is an Australian charity focused on supporting women and children who are or have been the victims of domestic or family abuse.