Wela Hoapili, 8. Five generations of women were present at the 43rd annual Surfing Classic.

The surfing that’s most often depicted in pop culture—the tight turns and tricks of Blue Crush, and Point Break—is done on a shortboard, and it’s the style that spread around the world when surfing became known as an international sport. Those are the men and women who “shred,” with all the friction that implies, whereas longboarders are more likely to be gliding, casually hanging ten for what seems like minutes on a wave that peels across the beach. But starting in the late 90s, and especially lately, traditional longboarding has found new footing.

At a time when women’s surfing is set to grow as a whole—the World Surf League announced equal pay across divisions last year, and the sport will make its Olympic debut in 2020—the once-derided category of longboarding seems poised to attract even more attention. This week, some of the world’s best longboarders will compete in Noosa, Australia, in the kick-off event of the World Surf League’s 2019 tour. 14-year-old Kelis Kaleopaa, 20-year-old Honolua Blomfield (ranked third last year, first place the year before that), Kirra Seale, 20, and Ashley Ahina, 28, are among the competitors for Hawaii. Beyond the potential for prize money—$30,000 at Noosa—the competitions grant surfers one of their favorite things: an uncrowded wave. “Surfing a spot for 30 minutes with three other girls is pretty amazing,” Ahina says, though she wishes the tour would continue on Oahu. None of this year’s qualifying events are scheduled to take place on the island. “This isn’t just where longboarding came from; it’s where the heart is.”

From Waikiki to the North Shore, women are in the lineup, and their presence invites new potential. While cross-stepping and hanging ten like Kaleopaa or Blomfield doesn’t happen overnight, longboarding is built to embrace new enthusiasts, whether they’re hopeful competitors or amateurs who want to spend more time in the ocean. The stability of a longer, larger board makes it easier to paddle and balance, meaning surfers-in-training can grasp the appeal of being on a wave sooner than they would on a shortboard.