From the down-under Courier Mail:
"Former world champion Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew laughed off suggestions that judges were influenced by looks, but warned of the dangers of swimwear labels using female competitors rather than models.Yup. Wetsuits are so last century.
"These young blokes are full of testosterone. I think women surfers are taken more seriously based on their performances. Stephanie Gilmore is leading-edge; she's taken women's surfing to a new plateau," Bartholomew said.
But it was no longer just Joel Parkinson, Kelly Slater and Taj Burrow selling the surfing industry to the world, he said.
"The firms have used models to sell the dream. The bridge is closing now. Steph Gilmore has just signed a five-figure lucrative deal with Quiksilver," Bartholomew said. The veteran surfer pauses when asked about "the Kournikovas" and is brutally honest about what is not being worn in the surf.
"The ultimate freedom in the surf is boardshorts and board nothing else. The less the better," he said. "Some girls are much more flamboyant about it."
