Fifty years after Gidget stirred up waves in the male-dominated surfing world, a new set of young women in their teens and 20s are revolutionizing the sport, from the beaches of Montauk to Australia. The best will be stoked to flaunt their tailslides and aerial maneuvers at this month’s U.S. Open of Surfing, in Huntington Beach, California—the Kentucky Derby of the ocean.

And these aren’t just beach bunnies paddling to “California Girls.” “It’s all about sharing waves,” says former world champ Sofia Mulanovich, 26, of Peru, in characteristic surfer parlance. “One of the best girl surfers could probably beat 80 percent of the men.” Which raises the question: How will the dudes impress them when they’re left behind, getting crushed inside the set? —ADAM KLAPPHOLZ