WAVE OF WOMEN 'LILO AND STITCH,' 'BLUE CRUSH' LEAD CHARGE AS SURFING SWELLS AMONG FEMALES.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

Ventura County's beaches only take up some of Stefanie Rockel's surfing time these days. She's spending more time inside as the surf business becomes increasingly intense.

A waverider so devoted she picked her college based on its ocean proximity, she's watched her fellow women take to the boards with a passion in recent years. Long laden only with dudes, the sport now brings in surfer chicks with more and more frequency. Sales of wetsuits and surfwear have swelled, women-oriented surf magazines have proliferated and all-girl surf camps have garnered national attention.

With Walt Disney Pictures' hit ``Lilo and Stitch'' spreading the gospel of women on boards early in the summer and Universal's ``Blue Crush'' receiving heavy publicity prior to its opening this weekend, popularity has swelled.

``There's a lot more chicks out there now,'' said Rockel, a well-tanned Valencia native who hits the waves at least four times weekly. ``It used to be so male-dominated, but girls can really show 'em up.''

And that's good news for her on two fronts, both as a devoted waverider and in her job handling girls' sales for 118 Boardshop in Granada Hills. Industrywide, surfwear sales ring up $2.4 billion annually, with women's products accounting for an increasing share. Manufacturer Rip Curl now sells 10 percent of its wetsuits to women, and its girls' line has grown by 50 percent each of the last three years.

``The barriers are breaking down, and with better technology and lighter boards, girls can surf much easier now,'' said Randy Beck, owner of Safari Surf and Sport in Chatsworth. ``In the '60s, the boards weighed more than they did.''

Theories abound as to why the sport suddenly caught fire with women, from the greater popularity of women's sports in general to greater parental involvement from original surfer dads. Regardless of the reason, however, it remains abundantly clear that this isn't a passing fad.

With the barrage of ads hyping ``Blue Crush,'' women's surf got an additional bump late this summer. Delayed from producer Brian Grazer's original target date of July 12, some retailers feared the interest would come too late in the season to have much impact.

``I love it, because it's only a positive influence on our sport,'' said Phyllis Fleschler, owner of North Hills' Valley Skate & Surf. ``But I don't count on it affecting us, because the girls are going back to school now.''

Though the timing may be off from a merchandise standpoint, surf fans agree that ``Blue Crush,'' directed by John Stockwell, appears to be handled in a different vein than other Hollywood forays into the waves, key to enhancing the credibility of the sport. Previous films featured either sleek cinematography with poorly reviewed acting, such as 1998's ``In God's Hands'' or badly lensed surf shots like 1993's forgettable ``Surf Ninjas.'' With ``Blue Crush,'' however, reviews agree the latest film offers stunning film work with a passable plot to boot. This added credibility led top manufacturer Billabong to sign on as a promotional partner.

``We saw scripts for other movies, but this was the first one that seemed true to the sport,'' said Jessica Trent Nichols, Billabong marketing manager. ``After meeting with Grazer and Stockwell, who surf, our comfort level went up. This isn't a typical Hollywood production.''

Which wins new business for manufacturers from both novices and more seasoned vets. Stacie Hess, a clerk for Val Surf's North Hollywood branch, has seen more girls perusing the racks lately. A Hawaiian native who prefers a shortboard when she hits the waves, Hess sees this as positive for the sport she took up four years ago.

``With all the previews, all the younger girls are copying what's happening in Hollywood,'' she said. ``It will probably get a lot of women surfing.''

That's not necessarily a good thing, said Lauren Murdock, who clerks at Valley Skate & Surf. When she hits the waves, she already finds enough amateurs. While she's glad to find more business in the store, she's not thrilled to find them out on the beach.

``All the little girls want to see the movie and go surfing,'' she sighed. ``It will just make the waves all crowded with a bunch of them on foam boards.''

But a rising tide lifts all boards, Beck said, and whether they're amateurs or pros, he's more than happy to see them getting interested.

``I'm stoked on anything that makes surfing look good,'' he said. ``Hey, I even like 'SpongeBob SquarePants.' The beginning of the summer would have been better, but then ('Blue Crush') would have gone head-to-head with 'Lilo and Stitch.' I'm pleased just to have it out.''

CAPTION(S):

5 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) With films such as ``Lilo and Stitch'' and surf camps designed specifically for women, Randy Beck, owner of Safari Surf and Sport in Chatsworth, says sales to women is booming.

( 2 -- color) no caption (Women surfing)

(3) Scuba diver Shirrell Howland checks out a watch at Safari Surf and Sport in Chatsworth.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer

(4 -- color) no caption (``Lilo and Stitch'')

(5 -- color) no caption (Surfing GIRL magazine)