Surfing champion Pauline Menczer recognised with Bondi statue 30 years after world title win

When Pauline Menczer first went surfing, she was forced to use half a foam board that one of her older brothers had broken.

Fortunately, this did not stop the working-class girl from Bondi in Sydney's east from chasing a career in the sport, which she reached the summit of in 1993 when she won the world championship in Hawaii.

Her path to the top was far from smooth. She battled sexism, homophobia and rheumatoid arthritis, which she was diagnosed with as a child.

Even when she won, she only got a broken trophy and no prize money.

Menczer said it was tough on the circuit in the 90s because she did not have the look sponsors wanted.

"I was freckled, long, dark hair and gay," Menczer told ABC Radio Sydney Mornings.

"The positive of not having the sponsorship is that it really pushed me to do well."

More than 30 years later, Menczer is getting the recognition she deserves, with a bronze statue of her at Bondi Beach.

Made by Australian artist Cathy Weisman, the statue depicts a young Pauline with a surfboard and skateboard, which she used to get to the surf as quickly as possible.

It was crowdfunded by the community group Pauline in Bronze and donated to Waverley Council.

World title against the odds

Menczer says she was only ever sponsored for one year of the 20 years she spent on the world surfing circuit.

She had to fund her own touring, making ends meet by "wheeling and dealing", including once selling jeans in France she bought in the US for triple the price.

Even when she did commentary after her competitive career, she had to argue to get paid.

As well as having to battle financial issues, Menczer's career was dogged by health issues.

She had rheumatoid arthritis from the age of 10, which often left her with swollen knees and hands.

When she was competing for the world title in Hawaii in 1993, the stress brought on one of the worst attacks she had ever had.

"I was like a 95-year-old, and I'm trying to do exercises in the pool because I couldn't surf," Menczer said.

Using a much larger surfboard against 10-foot swells, Menczer used her knuckles to get up on the board because she could not bend her wrists backwards.

Prize money raised by fundraising campaign

Menczer had to wait 30 years to get any money for the 1993 event, but it did not come from any surfing body.

Menczer's story featured in the 2021 documentary Girl's Can't Surf, which prompted a fundraising campaign to get her the prize money she should have earned.

The campaign raised $60,000, well above the $25,000 goal.

She used the extra money to assist a man in the Philippines with the autoimmune disease Pemphigus vulgaris, which Menczer also has, as well as a disabled surfing charity.

Pay parity has come a long way since Menczer's time. As of 2019, the World Surfing League now awards equal prize money for men and women across elite tour events.

"The only thing I still believe is that they should have the same amount for women as men," Menczer said.

"I know they've upped it now, but I'll be happy when it's equal.

The surfer has since created a board called the Equalizer, a nod to her efforts to level the playing field with men in professional surfing.

Menczer now lives in Byron Bay and hits the waves when she can.