Creating Surf Parks for All with URBNSURF's CEO Jennifer Vandekreeke

This is an excerpt from a recent interview with URBNSURF's new CEO, Jennifer Vandekreeke. During our conversation, she highlighted how surf parks can make their facilities more female-friendly:

Women are just as capable as men are at surfing.? However, and I am an example of this, my husband was a massive surfer, so he’s like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to teach you how to surf.’ He’s like, okay, I’ll meet you up past the break. I don’t even know what the break is. I certainly don’t know how to get out there.

I think there’s a difference in the way women approach learning. We see this just as a general thing with girls when they get to be 13 or 14 and they get to this point where they want to be perfect at things. Learning to surf means you just get nailed over and over and over again in a very public space where everybody can see you.?

The great thing about surf parks is we solve that. We create an incredibly safe space for anybody. It’s a very safe space where nobody really cares if I wipe out, and I’m not stealing anybody’s waves. So, what I love about the wave park industry in general and what we’re able to do at URBNSURF is to create an experience that is warm and welcoming.

Also, hair dryers…?

If I go to, say, a climbing gym or a pilates class or a yoga class and I walk into that locker room, I’ve got warm fluffy towels. I’ve got a hair dryer. I’ve got really nice shampoo and conditioner, and it’s a specific kind of experience. That is very important to females. That’s just one area that we need to deliver on.

Read the full interview here: https://surfparkcentral.com/urbnsurfs-new-ceo-shares-what-inspires-her-about-the-surf-park-industry-and-whats-next-for-the-australian-company/