Tyler Wright is now the first woman to ever win a Championship Tour event at Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu, but her history making performance on the 2021 tour doesn’t stop there. After battling back from post-viral syndrome that took her away from surfing for more than two years, Wright is not only crushing waves, but using her voice to expand conversations about equality in the sport. Wright recently sat down with JWS to talk about being the first surfer to wear the Progressive Pride Flag, her activism around the Black Lives Matter movement, and how illness changed her perspective on life. 

To start here, I want to acknowledge the tragic passing of a recreational surfer at Honolua Bay. How did surfers react to that?

It’s always tragic and it’s always sensitive and kind of traumatic. No one ever sees it coming. I think there’s a lot of shock involved in what happened at Honolua and the tragic passing of that gentleman. I think it caught everyone by surprise.

You put up some impressive scores including a perfect 10. How does it feel to be back in the water for the 2021 Championship Tour?

I’m really grateful that I can even be in this position again. It’s been quite the journey to get here and to be able to really go out and enjoy the start. To be back in the water and start the 2021 championship season, I feel really grateful and intentful on what I’m here to do.

And the first Perfect 10 of the 2021 Season goes to... @tylerGwright. pic.twitter.com/rBwN5ZjUjG

— World Surf League (@wsl) December 8, 2020

In addition to your perfect 10, you made history by adding the Progressive Pride Flag to your jersey. What drove you to do that and what was the process like to get that done? 

There’s a few different things that really led me to that. I fell in love a few years ago, and that changed my life forever. It was one of those things. I had a few conversations with my friends at the time — this is back in 2018 before I got sick — it kind of came up then, and because of the incredible human being that I had met, wanting to thank her. I wasn’t really publicly out. I think it’s been quite the journey between there and now, and understanding the importance of representation, the importance of inclusion and what it actually means to see that in surfing.

I essentially asked the WSL if I could surf with the Progressive Pride Flag, and they were completely behind it and have supported me all the way through. It’s two-fold. Honoring those who have come before me and also for the generations to come to know that this is a safe space. And we’re aware as well that it’s important to continue these conversations around equality and inclusion

I think a lot of people in the LGBTQIA+ community, myself included, can really relate to the inner journey that you have to go on before you can exist publicly as this full version of yourself and everyone goes on a different journey. I’m curious if you could share a bit about your experience and what it means to be an out athlete.

I just didn’t get it at first, you know. When I first fell in love, I said, “No, I will not be known for my sexuality. My sexuality will not be part of my career.” I think people expect that if you do identify with the LGBTQIA+ community, that you all of a sudden don’t have internalized homophobia, whereas I felt that I was raised in a really homophic, racist, and sexist environment so I had that in me even though it’s not something that I really knew.

I think through this all, and when I got sick, and then through COVID, it allowed me to come back and ask “What athlete do I want to be? And what do I want to stand up for?” I just started noticing who was speaking about it and how inspired I was.

It’s been a journey to find out who I am, and what kind of athlete I want to be, and who I want to stand up for. It’s not something I embraced as a younger athlete, but I’ve been in the sport for a while now and am a bit more settled in who I am.

Generally speaking, when people think about surfing, they envision this environmentally conscious, laid back, liberal culture, but what would you say is the reality for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC surfers and what work needs to be done to make the sport more inclusive?

The way I see it is that we’re not exempt. We’re not exempt from society’s great issues. The work does need to be done. It’s continuing those conversations whether that’s behind closed doors or in public. Like every sport, different issues show up in different ways and we have to think about how we dig in and get in the game, how we show up, how we do better.

You’ve been very public with your activism, what has been the reaction? 

I’m sure there’s been a lot said on social media — I don’t put too much value in that. The conversations that have come from the Black Lives Matter protesting in Cabarita in October have been incredible. I feel extremely lucky to be in this position, and to have the platform that I have and to be able to use it in this way. It’s something that I don’t take for granted. I don’t agree with being a-political. It’s a human rights thing and human decency and I just don’t see how anyone can really argue with that.

Appreciate you sharing that. Looking at your career as a surfer, for the past two years, you’ve been battling through post-viral syndrome. What powered you through that time and has it changed your perspective on the sport at all?

Yup [laughs]. I don’t know what got me through that time still, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. It was really rough, but I had a partner at the time who was with me for everything and helped me through that and without her, I wouldn’t be here today. I’m incredibly lucky that I am here today. It has changed me. I think that and COVID has given me time to think about what I want my career to be about and what I want to stand up for.

I definitely look at my sport a little bit differently. Two and a half years out is a long time for someone in the middle of their career to be out of their sport and to be able to reflect. Some of what I saw I didn’t like, and so I was vocal about it, and I will continue to be vocal regardless of what anyone really thinks. I think surfing has views and I want to challenge some of them. We’ve done a good job marketing ourselves as counter culture, rebels, progressive, but I think surfing is on the conservative side and has a dominant hetero-patriarchal ideology at its core. I definitely think there should be a few different voices in the conversation at surfing’s core to create a connected community. What will that look like? I don’t know. How does that happen? I don’t know. But you can change it publicly, you can change it behind closed doors, you can change it with conservations.

In the same vein of personally being changed, from the sport side, you just mentioned being away from a sport in the middle of your career for two and a half years. Did the sport change at all in terms of style or technique in that time?

In a technical sense, I’ve watched a lot, and the things that I look for haven’t changed, but I think surfing is always progressing and you can really see that in our next generation between the ages of about sixteen and twelve at the moment. I’m so psyched for them to hurry up, well not to hurry up, to absolutely take their time with respect to the growing up process, but also the quicker they come up, the earlier I can retire. They are so good.

And what I like to see, which is probably one thing that I will note as being different, but the next generation, when they’re in the line up, they know they belong in the line up and I think that’s something that’s really different from when I came through. I love seeing the difference of mentality and I feel like that’s our biggest progress, the younger generation owning that they are that good. I love it, I love to see it.

That’s incredible to hear. As a parallel, you went through some really heavy stuff during the time that you were sick — periods of isolation and being apart from the things that you love. So many people are going through varying degrees of that right now this year. Do you have any general advice on staying focused and keeping your eyes on the horizon?

This year is rough and being able to conceptualize this year while we’re still in it and while so many different things are going on is almost impossible. It’ll take us a few years to really process what this year’s been about. One of my biggest things is having to adjust your expectations of yourself. I know with COVID it’s like well, if I get out of bed I nailed it, and if I don’t, you know what, I nailed it too. You have to find that balance of, without pushing yourself over the edge, engaging with things that you still like. For me, I love learning so I essentially just deep dived on the internet on women’s sports, sexism, racism, and read so many different books. I never ever watched sports in my life and now I’m the biggest women’s sports fan there is, I’m such a nerd. I’m trying to learn as much as I can and that’s what I really got engaged with. It’s something that helped me understand who I am a little bit more — the representation of these other incredible athletes and representation that I don’t have in my sport.

Different human beings have different journeys, but keep learning, keep educating yourself and if you feel like shit, it’s completely okay. It’s a judgement free zone. Don’t expect yourself to go out and win everyday. You are where you are and that’s incredible. You’re doing a great job.

I prioritize recovery, and understanding recovery as well. Some days your mental, emotional, and intellectual output is through the roof, so how do you recover from that? It’s about taking care of yourself, being mentally and emotionally aware, and asking for help as well. It’s been a rough year.

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That’s all really important to hear. Shifting back to the tour, it’s changed a bit for 2021. Are there any changes that you’re particularly excited about?

One thing is the final, the surf off for the world title. For a competitor, that is what I have wanted for such a long time, just to surf the best against the best, woman on woman, best of three. I couldn’t imagine anything better, just as a purely competitive game. The way it was was cool and it’s fun, and there’s tension, but there’s way more intense competition if you’re just straight running at the person who is in second place. It’s a whole new game that none of us have played.

So it’ll be the top five surfers who will be competing for the world title at Lower Trestles?

Yeah so five and four will face off, and then whomever wins that, four and three, three and two, and then two and one go head-to-head for three rounds. It’s that next level of competitiveness, that next level of strategy and analytical thinking — it’s so fun.

Speaking of the best of the best, I was watching you in the quarterfinals against Stephanie Gilmore. That was incredible. You’re both such powerhouses, you’re fellow Australians, what is the vibe like when you’re out there competing against your peers?

Steph and I have known each other for a long time. The last ten months we’ve all gotten so close, we all live in the same area, and at the start of COVID I was kind of okay, but I wasn’t really. I was still really heavily having PTSD, I was still having heavy flashbacks and was kind of functioning, but not really and I was still really underweight. But it was one of those things where Steph was like, “Come on, you’re coming to surf.” I would disappear for weeks on end because I was so used to isolation as well, I had kind of grown accustomed to it. But her and Nikki [Van Dijk] and some of the girls, they were like, “Come on, we’re going surfing, this is what we’re doing,” and got us into a pattern with surfing with everyone through COVID, and we only hung out with each other, about five or six of us. So coming back, we’re all like, “Okay, let’s do it.”

It’s wild to me because we’re all such good friends and really care about each other and still get to go and compete. You saw that heat in Maui, we weren’t holding back. On that last wave, on that 10, I knew the wave that she [Stephanie Gilmore] had before, and before I took off on the last one, I saw where she was and it didn’t look like she made it to the end so I was like, “Okay this is big, I don’t think she’s completed and this thing [wave] is lining up so good,” so 100% when I came out of that barrel I was like, “Yup, you’re done,” purely from a smartass competitive point of view. It was pure joy because I have been kicked around, I have been schooled by Steph so many times in that same situation. In the last few years, I’ve either won or lost against Steph. Actually, I’ve only lost against Steph, this was the first time I won, I’m pretty sure.

It’s hard to explain, but if you can have such close friends on tour, you’re the luckiest, and then to go out and know full well that you’re going to go out and absolutely go head-to-head and give it your absolute all, I don’t think there’s a better combination because you know at the end of the day no one care too much about who actually wins, we’re going to do it 100 more times throughout our careers.

It’s such a special and unique relationship and it’s so awesome, from our vantage point as fans, to be able to watch you guys. For some girls out there, they see surfing as this awesome sport, but being able to go out into the water and try it is really intimidating. Do you have any advice for those who are out there wondering how to even get started?

Literally just get started. I think surfing is a real equalizer. You’ve got this whole element, mother nature, and you’re literally working with mother nature on how to get good at something. It’s a really weird sport. As for leisure, social, physical, even mental, being out there in mother nature like that is one of the most beautiful things you could ever do. So my advice is to find somewhere that’s easy, getting a lesson always helps, but if you’ve got a friend who knows how to surf, just ask.

It’s a lot easier to mess up when your friends are there. One more question, what’s one piece of advice that’s really stuck with you in life through some of your most difficult moments?

I think learning about who you really are is an incredible journey. I think a healthy relationship with yourself is hugely important and one of those priorities in life. I don’t know if it sounds selfish or not, but I feel like it is the most important relationship. If you don’t have a healthy relationship with yourself, I don’t see how you can have healthy relationships outside of that. Finding out who you are and showing up for yourself as well.

I was reading Glennon Doyle, and there was a quote, “If there’s a choice between disappointing somebody else or disappointing yourself, choose somebody else” because you have to live with you everyday. I am 100% on the journey of life, which is learning and unlearning. Actually, that would be my advice, keep learning and unlearning, keep educating yourself, never stop. Especially in this COVID time, I feel like as a young woman who has been in the spotlight since I was really young, I am still learning how to become myself, what I want to stand up for, and how I want to show up.

After trailing by as many as 18 points in the first half, the Minnesota Lynx stormed back to a 95-93 overtime win in Brooklyn on Thursday to steal Game 1 of the WNBA finals on the road. Minnesota's return from 18 points down ties the greatest comeback in WNBA history, ironically first set by the Liberty in Game 2 of the 1999 finals.

The Liberty came out swinging early in front of a raucous Barclays Center crowd, scoring 32 points in the first quarter as the Lynx suddenly found themselves in danger of becoming overwhelmed. But Minnesota kept chipping away at the lead, reducing New York's advantage to single digits at halftime.

As the teams traded runs in the second half, it appeared as if New York would to be able to hold off a late charge by the Lynx, leading by 15 points with 5:20 remaining in the game. But once again, Minnesota remained calm and went on a run of their own.

"I think it defines our team in terms of being able to get through difficult times," Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said after the game. "That's what we are talking about: You have to be mentally tough and resilient."

Guard Courtney Williams made the four-point play to give Minnesota an unlikely one-point lead with seconds remaining, and Breanna Stewart split two free throws to send the game into overtime.

After a slow start to the overtime period, Lynx star Napheesa Collier's final midrange jumper proved to be the difference, sending Minnesota into Game 2 with a 1-0 advantage. The Lynx are the first team in WNBA postseason history to win a game after trailing by 15+ points in the final five minutes of regulation in 184 games.

New York center Jonquel Jones led all scorers with 24 points, but Minnesota got the most out of the trio of Collier (21 points), Williams (23 points), and Kayla McBride (22 points).

New York's chance to bounce back

The Liberty are now 0-6 in Game 1 of the WNBA finals, and will try to bounce back in Game 2 on Sunday at 3pm ET (ABC). "This is a series, and we wanted to really win for home court [advantage]. But the beauty is we have another game on Sunday and we'll be ready," Stewart said after the game.

For the Liberty, the pressure will be on. No WNBA team has ever come back from a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five playoff series, something New York knows well. The Liberty sent two-time defending champion Las Vegas home in the semifinals after building a similar insurmountable advantage.

"We're disappointed," Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello said. "We have to be better. We're a better team than what we showed today."

After missing the free throw that would have sealed the game for New York, and missing a key layup in overtime, Stewart is also prepping for a personal bounce back. "I feel like knowing my teammates, and that everyone has confidence in me is important," she said. "It's kind of like, on to the next, and still making sure I'm aggressive any time on the court. Obviously as a player, it's very frustrating."

Following Sunday's matchup, the series will head to Minnesota for Game 3 and a possible Game 4. New York will be very motivated to stretch the series as long as possible.

"We can't play to not lose, and I think we started to play [like that] a little bit," said Sabrina Ionescu.

WNBA announces draft, postseason infrastructure for 2025

Prior to Game 1, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced plans for the 2025 college draft, as well as a new structure for the postseason. The 2025 draft lottery will take place on Nov. 17, as the LA Sparks, Dallas Wings, Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky find out who will hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.

Expansion side the Golden State Valkyries will officially pick fifth in all three rounds of the 2025 draft, Engelbert also announced on Thursday. The Valkyries made their own bit of splashy news earlier in the day, announcing Aces assistant Natalie Nakase as the team's inaugural head coach.

The WNBA will also be making changes to the postseason starting in 2025, in reaction to the growing appetite for more games in more home markets.

The league will be expanding the finals to a best-of-seven series instead of a best-of-five starting in 2025. The first round will also go from a home-home-away cadence for the higher seed to a 1-1-1 structure, meaning all playoff teams will be guaranteed a postseason home game next year.

In today’s episode, Claire ponders another Sun postseason exit, and the risks and rewards of blowing things up in the pursuit of playoff glory.

She then previews the finals between the Lynx and the Liberty, with one key element she believes will earn one of the teams a title. She closes with some of the NWSL news of the midweek, which feels destined to shape the postseason and beyond.

The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes in women’s sports. This is the weekly rundown you’ve been missing, covering the USWNT, NWSL, WNBA, college hoops, and whatever else is popping off in women’s sports each week. Special guest appearances with the biggest names in women’s sports make The Late Sub a must-listen for every fan. Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.

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With the 2024 NWSL Shield firmly in Orlando's hands, attention turns to the final three available playoff spots up for grabs as the regular season turns into the home stretch. The Chicago Red Stars, currently in sixth, could become the next team to clinch a postseason berth with a win against the surging Gotham on Saturday at 4pm ET (Paramount+).
 
Only Houston has been eliminated from postseason contention thus far, but Portland (7th) and Bay FC (8th) will try to hold off those below the playoff line to better their odds at a quarterfinal appearance. Racing Louisville appears poised to challenge for their own spot, sitting only three points below eighth place.

Both Portland and Bay FC will have their work cut out for them, as the Thorns take on first-place Orlando on Friday at 10pm ET (Prime), and Bay FC battles fourth-place Kansas City on Saturday at 10pm ET (ION). Amidst a losing skid, Portland is already looking toward the future after announcing this week that general manager Karina Leblanc will be transitioning out of her role at the end of the 2024 season.

Standings stragglers look to ward off elimination

With only three regular season matches left, Seattle, Angel City, San Diego, and Utah will all face elimination scenarios this weekend.

LA's playoff hopes hang by a thread after a three-point deduction due to a salary cap violation, but forward Alyssa Thompson is keeping the dream of the postseason alive. Thompson has scored five goals and registered two assists in her last seven NWSL games, including a crucial assist in a win against the Seattle Reign last weekend.

Six points off the playoff pace with three games to go in the regular season, Angel City will need Thompson at the height of her powers in their matchup against North Carolina on Saturday at 7:30pm ET (ION).

Andi Sullivan suffers season-ending ACL tear

The Washington Spirit announced on Wednesday that captain Andi Sullivan suffered an ACL tear in the team's loss to the Orlando Pride on Sunday, and will miss the rest of the 2024 season. A Spirit stalwart, Sullivan started all 21 regular season matches she appeared in for the club in 2024, tallying two goals.

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Sulivan joins a growing number of injured Spirit contributors, including Croix Bethune (out for the season), Trinity Rodman, Casey Krueger, and Ouleye Sarr. The Spirit will take on Racing Louisville on Sunday at 5pm ET.

The MVP race heats up

With KC Current forward Temwa Chawinga running away with the 2024 NWSL golden boot, is there still intrigue to be found in this year's MVP race? Chawinga won NWSL Player of the Month for September, while forward Barbra Banda continued to excel with the unbeaten, Shield-winning Orlando Pride.

Banda's goal contributions are slightly off Chawinga's pace, with 13 goals and six assists to Chawinga's 18 goals and six assists. Chawinga leads the league in goals per 90 minutes, but Banda holds the title in goals and assists per 90 minutes, while both players comfortably lead the league in xG and npxG per 90.

It's been a year for blazing offense in the NWSL, personified by Chawinga and Banda's excellence. But voters will have to decide if individual contributions, playmaking, and total team success are a bigger part of the picture when deciding who will walk away with 2024 NWSL MVP.

Welcome back to Fast Friends with Kelley O'Hara and Lisa Leslie!

In today's episode, our hosts preview Game 1 of the WNBA Finals between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty, and how Liberty center Jonquel Jones could be the final piece to her team's title hopes.

"Jonquel Jones, for the Liberty to walk away holding that trophy, she's got to show up bigger and better," says Leslie. "She's got to be dominant in the paint, she's got to get those boards, and she's got to block some shots. She's got to play out of her mind."

In the world of soccer, Kelley discusses the special importance of winning an NWSL shield, and makes a few bold postseason predictions (sorry Orlando and Kansas City!)

Coming off the success of JWS's Olympic commentary show The Gold Standard, Fast Friends features two legendary athletes serving up insider insights and unique takes on the biggest stories in women's sports every week.

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