Janice Domorski DeMetropolis
In the early days of surf contests on the East Coast, few women took part in competition, but that they were invited to take part at all — when other sports left them out — was a testament to surfing’s inclusive roots. Among the Right Coast’s earliest female competitors was Janice Domorski DeMetropolis, who holds the honor of being the Eastern Surfing Association’s first woman champion, in 1968.
That same year, Domorski DeMetropolis traveled to Rincon, Puerto Rico to compete in the World Surfing Championships — a now legendary event in the annals of surf history. Up against the world’s best women surfers, Domorski DeMetropolis landed in a solid sixth place.
Domorski DeMetropolis’ dedication to competitive surfing on the East Coast extended beyond the contest jersey. In the ESA’s early days, she took on the job of the association’s first secretary, where she looked after memberships, event location organization, logistics and finance. Her dedication and hard work was integral to the ESA’s rise into the juggernaut that it is today.
Dormski DeMetropolis was inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame in 2000.
