I was surfing world champion but no one knew my name
Pauline Menczer won her title in 1993 with the odds stacked against her in every way. She thought the win would change her fortune but that would come later.
It's difficult for anyone to win a surfing world title, but it was even harder for Australian Pauline Menczer. She was battling sexism and homophobia and crippling rheumatoid arthritis. On the day of the 1993 World Championship she woke up and could hardly walk. It was incredible that she then went out and won but it would take many more years for her to finally get recognition for her place at the top of the sport.
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com
Presenter: Saskia Edwards
Producer: Saskia Edwards and May Cameron
(Photo: Pauline Menczer surfing at the 2000 Rip Curl Hossegor Pro in France. Credit: Pierre Tostee / Stringer)
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- Sat 11 Mar 2023 09:32GMTΒι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
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