The Known Unknowns of Big Wave Competition
Last week the ASP made an announcement that both excited surfing fans and provided the clearest sign yet of the ASP's vision. After a year of negotiations surfing's peak body - itself recently acquired by ZoSea - took ownership of the Big Wave World Tour (BWWT).
The BWWT, which is now in its fourth year, links a loose network of big wave competitions contested by a cadre of devoted big wave surfers. The semi-underground, slightly uncertain feel of the BWWT resembles the early years of the professional surfing circuit. Sponsors are difficult to come by and the value of being crowned BWWT world champion is still largely unknown.
Despite this the BWWT has an inherent value that the WCT does not: the spectacle of danger and risk. And as professional surfing moves into its Brave New Media World it is this more than hi-fi beachbreak surfing that will be the new currency. Athletic, progressive aerial surfing will always be trumped by heavy water in terms of respect and wider appeal.
Which is why many surfers cheered when the BWWT came under the ASP umbrella. By annexing the big wave tour the ASP has given the green light for all ASP surfers to appear in future BWWT competitions if they so wish. The prospect of Kelly Slater or John John Florence coming up against Greg Long and Jamie Sterling in 20ft+ surf is alluring for both sightseers and sponsors. A win/win situation you might say.
Yet events this week show that running the BWWT may not be simple as it would seem.
On April 15th the waiting period period for the Quiksilver Ceremonial Chile, the first event of the 2013/2014 tour, opened. The event is held at Chile's premier big wave, Punta de Lobos. On May 31, six weeks into the waiting period, the green light to run the competition was given by BWWT director, Gary Linden. Upon this news the 18 international invitees and 6 locals had 72 hours to make their way to Chile.
The swell they'd green lighted brushed Tahiti providing 15-20 foot surf at Teahupoo and although not perfectly aligned for Chile it was the largest South Pacific storm of the year.
On the morning of the contest, June 4, the swell was well under the required threshold. The organisers waited for the swell to fill in but the forecast size never eventuated. Given that the surfers had all converged on Punta de Lobos, as had hordes of clifftop spectators, the competitors had a freesurf session in the 12 ft surf. Afterward the prizemoney was evenly divided among the 24 competitors.
Gary Linden said of the aborted contest, "As all surfers know, Mother Nature makes the final decision when it comes to waves – and today the swell was substantially smaller than we had originally expected."
Given the above example and noting the fleeting, often unpredictable nature of big swells it's obvious that the BWWT has its own unique set of challenges. For one, how do organisers appease sponsors who stump up money for a contest that doesn't run. Also, how viable is a circuit where interested parties can wait six months between contests only to have it called off.
All of a sudden the much maligned non-elimination rounds of the WCT don't look so bad.
Without knowing much about ZoSea it's hard to comment on their ability to innovate around these natural obstacles. Yet if one were to drill down other problems begin to present themselves beyond the vagaries of wind over water. For instance, how open are the surfing communities at the contest sites – Pico Alto, Punta de Lobos, Mavericks, Nelscott Reef and Todos Santos – to losing their break on potentially the best day of the year. At present top locals are invited into the draw which appeases the community but will this continue when marquee surfers such as Slater or Florence throw their hat in the ring? Who makes way for them?
In Australia it's very hard to imagine how any big wave contest could become an annual occurrence as each break that meets the height requirements is either in local lockdown or would face strong local backlash.
To circumvent the problems I've mentioned will require creative thinking from both the BWWT and the ASP. Perhaps a combined circuit that takes the best from the WCT and the BWWT is the way forward. Who knows? Chalk it up as another known unknown as surfing enters into its latest period of uncertainty.
Comments
I love big waves more than anything, but watching a big wave contest bores the heck out of me. zzz
Sounds like the BWWT needs some good forecasters?
Irrespective of the forecasting tools at our (or anyone else's) disposal, big wave forecasts are inherently problematic.
More times often than not there's at least one parameter that doesn't tick the box - local winds, weather, tides, arrival time of the swell (no use in a big swell if it peaks overnight) etc - and to have the weight of a major competition with sponsors dollars at play makes it all the more challenging.
I checked the punters forecast (windguru)and it had the swell at approx 3.8m at 20 seconds for the day of the comp in Chile. I have no idea of the break but maybe like Waimea Punta needs a shorter period swell and a much bigger swell size. Be great if someone from Chile throws down optimal swell conditions.
Was funny logging on to the Quiky site with nothing posted about the comp.
Our internal model - which forecast the large Tahiti and Fiji swells bang on - forecast Punta de Lobos to be in the 10-12ft range (surfer's feet). So, somewhere around 20-22ft range on the face (this is below the BWWT's lower threshold of 30ft wave faces).
Personally, I think the storm was too far away from the South American mainland for a truly large swell event. Perhaps they had a favourable wind outlook and figured they'd take the risk? I can't find much information on the web about their decision making processes (re: forecasts vs green light) so it's hard to be sure.
That's all I could find
https://www.bigwaveworldtour.com/heat-assignments-for-the-quiksilver-cer…
There's some images there too - weird they were only expecting 15 foot (maybe that Hawaiian measurements) Looked like 10 foot if you go off those images
The pre-event press release didn't commit to a size either:
They need to think outside the square. With world connectivity the possibility to have a true 12 month waiting period on concurrent events is now a reality. For example, you could be on standby for 12 locations throughout the year and hand pick the best 6 swell events as they happen. Sponsors don't need certainty with time as much as they need certainty with coverage. For example, Red Bull could sign on to sponsor a Jaws or Mavericks event and a whole event program and coverage schedule is planned that can be rolled out within 48hrs notice.
Sponsors don't need to know when it will happen, they just know one of those events is likely to run within 12 months in the best conditions possible and they will be the main sponsor and it is likely to be picked up by media around the world.
If we can give people what they really want to watch then viewers and sponsors won't be an issue.
What I think you will find though is that people would prefer to watch surfers surf heavier/ more critical waves then just waves with big faces. For example, I would rather watch the pro's at 15ft Shipsterns then 25ft Waimea. But I would rather watch the pro's at 50ft Jaws over all of that. So all that has to be considered.
One big call is that Australia is very untapped..maybe swellnet could throw a couple of outer regions(uncrowdable) that might have potential?whaddya reckon is it plausible?
zane, aside from the surf community issues (will local surfers be happy that their surf spot could be taken over on the best swell of the year?), logistically it's very difficult to have such a large number of people on standby around the world. Each big wave spot has its own characteristics that need to be uniquely catered for (scaffolding, accommodation, boats, water safety, public safety), which would be difficult to assemble at short notice.
Aside from that, proper live webcasts - to the standard we've come to expect these days (ie current event in Fiji) is extremely expensive (somewhere in the $250K range). In fact I'd hazard a guess that it's even more expensive for the BWWT because they're on standby all the time (so, equipment may not be available at the same time the swell forecast lights up).
Look, at the end of the day, with an unlimited budget almost anything is doable. But there has to be a return on investors. Over the last five years I've been looking closely at the possibilities of webcasting one-off swell events: big wave events at somewhere like Shipsterns, or perfect days at local suburban reefs (say, somewhere like Shark Island). Unfortunately, the numbers just don't add up.
The most basic stream (no commentary, no replays, no graphics, no music, just live footage from one camera) would be incredibly boring to watch - you'd be surprised how much the commentary team helps you sneakily watch the webcast during the day on your second monitor, when you're trying to do other work. And even with just one person running the gig, it'd be hard to cover costs.
Getting in a small production truck to give it a bit more pizazz then exponentially increases the overheads. So, how would this be paid for? Standard advertising wouldn't even come close to paying for a one-man-show, so the only way to get a more complex broadcast to make money would be to get major sponsors involved. Again, the numbers don't really add up - the kinds of money needed to make this happen are very high, and most sponsors won't commit these kinds of funds unless there's a proven track record (and likely return on their investment).
The only other option is Pay Per View. How much would you be willing to pay the BWWT for six scheduled (but not guaranteed) live webcasts of Big Wave surfing events around the world per year?
Remember, someone's gotta pay...
Guess you need a major player who is not really interested in a ROI. Dietrich Mateschitz the Red Bull founder is the likely starter.
With one of professional surfing's major sponsors going belly up before our eyes the notion of two professional circuits would seem ambitious to say the least.
Hi,
I just spent the last six weeks in Pichilemu and was there for the event. It was a bummer the swell didn't cooperate as the town was frothing for the event.
I can't speak for the other places the BWWT is held, but the Chilean surf community there were awesome. To a man (and woman) they are incredibly proud (yet humble) about their hometown heroes (Ramon et al) and their break and seemed more than happy give up the day so that they could showcase these guys and such an amazing place to the world.
Cheers
Have to agree with Blindboy - where is this cash going to come from?? If its 25 - 30 mill to run the Dream tour. It must be $5 - $10 mill to run the BWWT. Without TV coverage, advertisers aren't coming on board. Need the likes of companies outside the industry Toyota, Rolex etc. - but how are they going to possibly get a ROI?
In response to the field opening up the the lines of JJF and Slater -you could open the draw up to a bigger field instead of having two bites of the cherry with the heats. However be hard to run the event in an 8 hour window holding 30 feet and good winds. One of the advantages for contest director for Mavericks this year was perfect forecast winds all day. Must have been a factor to run it
Interesting preview from redbull for the contest in Chile. They even run a Subaru and beer ad at the end.
https://www.redbull.com/en/surfing/stories/1331586907039/event-preview-q…
Here are some photos also from Redbull
https://www.redbull.com/en/surfing/stories/1331595994196/photos-what-alm…
.
Flick through to the 4minute mark - what a great big wave spot
Well, if this isn't mainstream acceptance, then I don't know what is.
"OS X is moving to a new naming path. Apple's SVP of software Craig Federighi, who demonstrated the latest OS upgrade on stage, announced that the new versions of OS X will be named after places in California. This new version will be named Mavericks, after the famous Northern California big-wave surf spot. So goodbye kitties, hello ocean."
https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/06/heres-whats-new-in-os-x/
yeah , not sure if it makes Apple look bad or vica versa .
Interestingly al the photo's in that link were credited to a
" Alex Washburn " , and makes you wonder if there is a connection to Grant . ?
Apple have always used surfing or images of waves in their advertising , especially screen savers . In fact i reckon they are guilty of swiping others images . But that's another story .
Interestingly the connection between Geek and BW Charger is narrowing by the year . With all the tech, at hand to aid the globe trotting Rhino hunter . On a trip into the Pacific i made friends with a Barrel fiend that happened to be feeding his addiction with a high ranking/paying job with Google ... the lengths Surfers will go to these days " to live the dream " ....
Times , they are a changin' .!
This is an example of putting real money, investment and faith into mainstream sports.
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/garuda-indonesia-signs-with…
It almost seems ridiculous that even Garuda, despite what seems like forever using the image of Nias (Johnno at Nias), to promote itself, in surf saturated and milked Bali, doesn't sponsor Pro Surfing, but does English Soccer.
Heaps of cashed up companies have long used the image of iconic waves, for example Pipeline, to promote themselves, without wanting to have anything to do with Pro Surfing.
Pro Surfing, after 40 years, as highlighted on this site, still with top surfers unable to secure decent sponsorship, should want to know why major companies won't back it?
With the Billabong situation, and Quicksilver rumblings, it makes me wonder how this situation has evolved. And why Nike walked away. I know Kelly Slater made his views on surfing having anything to do with companies like Nike clear (although this could have been journalistic license), but surely they would have something to offer. Maybe the guardians of Pro Surfing felt they have something to lose?
Good venturing out there Zane and to get people thinking, don't retreat back into the walls of the square!
The Arnette Punta Galea Challenge was held overnight in some pretty big waves on the Basque coast. I wasn't around to watch the webcast at the time but fortunately a HD recording of it is on the event website (see link below).
Now, this is a really interesting case study. Because the surf was big, and the surfers were a reasonable distance from the cameraman (of which there appears to be only one or two operated cameras), there's not a lot of action going on.
Gotta say that I gave up after 15 minutes of watching as no-one had caught a wave. I'll give it another try later on when I've got more time, but in a live setting I think it'd only be worth if you could give it all of your attention - otherwise you'll miss those rare crucial moments where someone actually catched a wave.
I wonder if any non-surfers - the new audience that the ASP is chasing - would be prepared to sit and watch patiently, listening to a couple of highly experienced but generally unknown surfers (outside of the surfing community) commentate for a couple of hours?
https://asplivescoring.com/puntagaleachallenge/
Beautiful Bay. Though the wave is a burger. Looks hard to surf in that it breaks all over the place. I wonder if the big breakwall at the point stuffed the wave.
Good effort for calling it on so close to Christmas. Watched the first 3 heats last night but was pretty rough. Good insights from the surfers Jamie Mitchell and Tiggy.
Money here is in a highlights package. A one hour feature of the entire world tour run on ESPN.
'Gotta say that I gave up after 15 minutes of watching as no-one had caught a wave.'
Wait a minute, that's perfect!!! It took about 25 minutes in the Pipemasters final for anyone to do anything, and that was hyped up into the greatest ever, ever, ever final with the greatest surfing ever, ever, ever seen!!!! Which means that the Arnette Punta Galea Challenge is easily the most zomasing, greatest surfing contest ever, ever, ever, ever, with greatest surfing ever, ever , ever, ever seen!!!!! Its all zo, zo, zo exciting, a guaranteed formula for success!!!!!!
No, that's different - you're cherry picking the information for your convenience.
The Pipe Masters Final was exactly that... the Final. And the Rd 5, Quarters and Semi heats were blistering, which led up to the climax of the Final. The fact that there wasn't much action in the first half of the Final made it all the more exciting because regardless there would be a result - and a Pipe Master - within the half hour.
At $12,000 first prize, even allowing for sponsorship, you would have to wonder about the financial viability of actually competing.
'The fact that there wasn't much action in the first half of the Final made it all the more exciting'
Cherrypicking... 'much action?' Definitely sounds more zellable than 'no action.'
Its a tough call though. Along the lines of:
A - Is it more exciting watching the TV for 15 minutes with no picture or sound?
or
B - More exciting listening to the radio for 15 minutes wiith no sound?
I guess the TV wins, because eventually you'll be excited to have sound, plus a picture.
I don't understand what you're on about Uplift. If you think I'm here to cheer unquestioningly for the ASP, you're wrong.
This is completely off topic I know but have you tried this new product I saw advertised on TV last night uplift? A dozen eggs a day would go down easy with this ingenious idea!!!
https://geteggies.com.au/store/products/eggies/
Haha, eggcelent!
How eggciting!
I just think that repackaging, and merely hyping up the same old failed saga that has been pro surfing since its inception, is useless. 15 - 25 minutes of nothing is just that. Imagine taking that all too regular 15 - 25 minutes of nothing around to prospective investors (I've got 10 mins, give us a look), who have never surfed, or really watched it, and saying, 'have a go at this lot!!! How much can we put you down for? You actually profess to love surfing and couldn't stand it.
It is exactly like the classic, and again all too common real estate saga. Someone wants a million and a half for their 4 bedroom, plus huge games room 'mansion'. The agent points out that it has only one bathroom, and no parking, and two of the bedrooms are tiny, and that buyers in that area want more for the money. Rather than put in an ensuite, knock out a wall, turn the games room into parking, the owner decides to just ramp up the marketing, and have the salesman wear a gold, bell bottomed jump suit. 5 years later its still on the market , except now it stinks of don't buy me.
There is without any doubt a better way for Pro Surfing. But it means accepting the facts, and accepting that there is better, and wanting it.
See Yorklet even found a better way to cook eggs!!! Did you see that while you were desperately killing time watching the surfing heats? I hope so, or were you just desperately killing time?