Courtney Crow was used to being one of the guys.
In 2001, Crow - whose last name was then Harris - was one of about five girls out of nearly 70 members in the UF Surfing Club.
Crow, 30, moved to Australia after graduating in 2001 to become a sports photojournalist, and in January 2008, she launched ExplorerGirls.com, a Web site that connects women with a common interest in sports, adventure and travel.
Originally from West Palm Beach, Crow said she has seen an increase in women embracing adventure sports in the past 10 years.
"Women are feeling more comfortable to get out in the surf and get out in the skate parks," she said, a feeling she hopes her site will spread.
In 2006, while Crow worked with Web designers to make her idea a reality, she balanced traveling between Australia and Florida to visit her mother, who was diagnosed with cancer.
Although she died before the site was finished, Crow said her success is due in large part to her mother.
"My mom inspired me so much in life because she gave me tons of opportunities," Crow said. "She bought me my first snowboard. My mom never, ever said you can't do something."
Kara Church has been friends with Crow since they roomed together at UF and was one of the first to hear about her interactive idea.
"Courtney's a very big-picture person," Church said. "She completely sees it from beginning to end."
Crow said the Web site has 1,200 users, and four or five new members join every day.
"When the Web site went live, I definitely had a few tears in my eyes," she said. "It definitely goes to show that you just have to get those ideas out of your head."
Along with sports updates and celebrity interviews, the site's magazine features everyday women, including one who trekked from London to Africa on foot.
"We're definitely promoting girls who are out there just kicking butt," Crow said.
