Margo Oberg

Margo Oberg (born Margo Godfrey; September 8, 1953 in Pennsylvania) was the first female professional surfer in the world. She won her first competition at the age of 11, won her first world title at 15, and became the first professional female surfer in 1975.

Biography

Margo Godfrey was born on September 8, 1953, in Pennsylvania and her family moved to La Jolla, California when she was five years old. She began surfing at the age of ten, and began competing a year later at the 1965 Western Regional Surfing Championships, at which she won in her division (San Diego female residents). She earned her first national title in 1966 when she won the 12-and-under division at the Menehune Championships; she was the only girl in the division. She began surfing on longboards, but switched to short boards in 1968. She said later, "The loss was so devastating that I retired." She still owns and operates her surf school to this day. She is the author of a book chapter on competitive surfing strategies for women.

She is the mother of two sons, Shane Kainoa (born in the early 1980s) and Jason Kaipo (b. 1987). In 2001, she was inducted into the Hawai'i Sports Hall of Fame. In 2018, she received the “Silver Surfer Award”, a lifetime achievement award from the California Surf Museum.