Hawaiian surfer and two-time world champ Kelia Moniz has parted ways with Roxy after 17 years. She took a moment to share the message in the emotional video which can be seen below.
“Fresh Start for 2024!! After Almost 18 years of being a Roxy Girl. What a ride, thank you to those who believed in me, you know who you are. And to those who didn’t, thank you for making me stronger than ever before. This is a long watch but it’s from the heart, and it’s the truth. And to be very clear, This is not the end for me, IT’S JUST THE BEGINNING !!! To all my girls, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR,” she shared on her socials.
Later in the video, however, she offered further explanation: “After Covid, I signed the best contract that I’ve ever landed in my athletic career. It took a lot for my team and I to get here, and this contract was supposed to last another year. Unfortunately, after the buyout of Roxy, the contract was terminated. And then they offered me a ninety percent pay cut to re-sign.”
She continued: “After years of fighting for fair pay and equality, there was just no way I was signing that deal, especially knowing I wasn’t the only athlete that this was happening to. I’m not about to be strong-armed by some corporation who not only knows nothing about the sport but doesn’t give a shit about it…I’m leaving because if I took this deal, I’d be setting the industry standards for girls who look like me and surf like me and I simply want nothing to do with that.”