"The contests are the vehicle, but the mission is giving mothers a permanent voice and space in surfing." -Danielle Zirkelbach, Imua Moms Founder

For too long, mothers in surfing have been invisible. Their performances, sacrifices, and stories—untold.

IMUA MOMS changes that. This contest amplifies every woman's story. Yes, there will be a winner. But the real victory is the message—the one that brings motherhood in surfing into the light.

We believe championing mothers means championing health for ourselves, our children, and our families. It means building systems that recognize mothers as the athletes, leaders, and changemakers they are.

These stories aren't reserved for the famous or already visible. They're open to mothers everywhere. This is a platform for all women.

Motherhood isn't the end of an athletic story. It's one of the most powerful chapters.

Some of the greatest stories in surfing history have never been told.

Until now.

IMUA!

How it works

The IMUA MOMS TRIPLE CROWN is a global digital surf competition celebrating mother surfers of all levels. Running June 18–September 14, 2026, this four-month contest invites you and a filmer to document your surfing journey and create an edit that showcases three essential elements: Wave, Story, and Spirit.

You'll film together—iPhone, camera, however works for you—and tell your authentic story. It's not about polished production; it's about the content, your voice, and why surfing matters to you. Submit your edit (10 minutes or less) and compete for $5,000 in total prize money.

Scoring Breakdown:
Crown 1: Wave Performance — 40%
Crown 2: Story — 30%
Crown 3: Spirit — 30%

We celebrate the complete athlete. Your surfing, your story, and your spirit all matter. You don't need to be perfect to win—bring your authentic self.

Prize: Grand prize winner receives $4,000. and becomes the first ever, Championed mother in surfing.

Surfers Filmer receives $1,000.

👑 Crown 1: The Wave—Surf Performance

Crown 1: Wave Performance — 40%

This is the first section of your edit, showcasing 2–6 surf clips showcasing competition or free surfing. Longboarding and/or shortboarding welcome.

Judged on: wave selection, flow and style, commitment and presence, having fun.

Being the best surfer doesn't guarantee a win. You're judged as a complete surfer across multiple dimensions. Your overall presence, style, and heart in the water matter more than a single perfect wave.

This contest rewards the whole package—your story, passion, and impact in the lineup. Open to all levels. Get out there, have fun, and give it your all.

👑 Crown 2: The Story—Motherhood Narrative

Crown 2: Story — 30%

This is the second part of your edit is your story about your experience staying connected to surfing through pregnancy, motherhood, or a moment in the ocean that shaped your journey as a mother who surfs. Introduce yourself, your location, your craft (shortboard/lonboarding), and then lead into your story.

We want raw, honest storytelling. Be specific and vulnerable. Share the physical changes, emotional weight, identity shifts, grief, joy, the support you found or didn't find, mental health battles, the body you didn't recognize, guilt, liberation, victories, and setbacks. Tell us what nobody talks about.

What did motherhood take from you? What did it give you? How did the ocean hold you through it?

Your story might explore life before and after motherhood, returning to the water, identity and transformation, mental health and healing, feeling supported or excluded, reclaiming your body, or what it means to have a space created for mothers who surf.

Judged by athlete mothers, storytellers, and women who understand balancing motherhood and performance.

👑 Crown 3: The Spirit—Three Witness Testimonies

Crown 3: Spirit — 30%

And this is the final segment of your edit. Gather three witness testimonies. BUT WAIT. Before dismissing feedback as uncomfortable, remember this: who you are and what you do matter profoundly.

Hearing genuine testimonies about your impact is essential because it reveals truths you cannot see from within. When others share how your presence as a mother, mentor, and community member has inspired them to be braver, more authentic, or more resilient, you gain clarity about your true influence. These reflections ground you in purpose and remind you that your work touches lives in meaningful ways. This recognition is not about ego—it is about understanding your value to those around you and accepting the responsibility that comes with being someone others look up to.

Include three 30–90 second testimonies (video):

Witness 1: In The Water—Someone who has surfed with you

Witness 2: Life Witness—Someone who knows you as a mother

Witness 3: Community Witness—A coach, friend, mentor, or fellow mother

Prompt: "How would you describe her spirit in and out of the water, and what do you think people don't see about her?"

Who Can Enter

Participant must be a mother or guardian anywhere in the world.

Must Surf or Longboard

Willing to share your story in public spaces

Willing to share your story in public spaces

Your Content

Your edit should be one submission. By submitting your content to Imua Moms, you grant us permission to use your submissions across social media posts, YouTube, and media outlets. We may also feature your submission in documentaries, films, and publications that chronicle this important historical movement, including magazines and other archival media. Your contribution helps us share and preserve the story of this moment.

Your information is protected and we will only use your content for positive uplifting purposes. If for any reason you choose not to be included, please let us know and we can withdraw your submission.

All submitted content must be family-friendly and appropriate for public sharing. If your submission includes children, please ensure they are wearing appropriate clothing or swimwear. Content must comply with platform policies, including YouTube's guidelines protecting minors.

Edit and Filmer

Surfing Mothers are the untold stories of our world. They navigate extraordinary challenges, create magic in everyday moments, and show up—hungry, tired, often unseen—to shape the world. Yet their narratives rarely reach the screen unless they're already famous. We're changing that.

The Imua Moms Contest Series flips the script. We're hunting for filmmaker-mother teams because the most powerful stories come from those brave enough to see beyond the surface. When a filmmaker's lens captures a mother in her element—raw, real, unstoppable—something shifts. The camera finds truth in the overlooked. It documents the behind-the-scenes moments on the beach, the victories no one else witnesses, the quiet strength that moves mountains.

This isn't polished celebrity narratives recycled endlessly. This is discovery. Real. Messy. Powerful. The adventures happening in your neighborhood, your family, your life—the ones that matter most because they're yours.

The most cinematic narratives aren't always the loudest. They're hidden in plain sight, waiting for a storyteller willing to look deeper. They're told by voices that haven't been heard yet, captured by cameras that see what others missed.

We're asking you to find that story. The one that carries truth so fierce it becomes unforgettable.

Bring your camera. Bring your perspective. Bring your truth. Let's create something that changes everything.

How to Sign Up.

Below is the entry form and entry fee information. The entry fee covers judging, platform fees, media production, prizes, and prize money. We're committed to growing this movement globally and establishing Imua Moms as a transformative force in how we celebrate and support mothers in our community. Your support and participation is world changing.

SIGN ME UP!

Submissions

Digital Submissions:
Send all materials via We Transfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive to imuamoms@gmail.com with subject line: YOUR NAME, TC ENTRY

IE: DANIELLE ZIRK, TC ENTRY

Accepted formats: WeTransfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive

Prizes: $5,000 purse

Your participation is making history

Why Is There An Entry Fee?

The IMUA MOMS entry fee is more than registration—it is an investment in building the future of motherhood in surfing. It keeps us moving forward and awarding a mother 5000.00

This event is pioneering something that has never existed before: a permanent space where mothers can compete, tell their stories, be recognized, and be financially supported for continuing to surf through motherhood.

Your entry fee directly helps fund:

  • Prize purses for participating mothers
  • Professional judges, coaches, and event support
  • Storytelling and media production
  • Event operations and future growth
  • The development of long-term opportunities for mothers in surfing

Most importantly, your contribution helps build a system that future generations of mothers will inherit.

We are not simply hosting a contest.

We are making history.

Every participant who enters becomes a founding part of a movement designed to change surfing for mothers, children, and families for generations to come.

This is the beginning of a new era—one where motherhood is no longer an afterthought in surfing, but a permanent and celebrated part of its future.

Thank you for helping us build it.

IMUA.

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IMUA MOMSTRIPLE CROWN ENTREE FEE

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