The WSL has just given the green light for the Quiksilver Ceremonial at Punta de Lobos to run this Thursday the 30th April. The comp didn't run last year and hasn't scored great waves for a number of years. Here's the highlights from one of the years they did score, 2011.
A sailing and surf exploration of Tasmania.
The Lifeline Surf Classic is back for its eighth year.
Sid gets inducted into Surfing Australia's Hall Of Fame.
A new column where a surfboard sage, otherwise known as Murray Bourton, answers everything you want to know.
Surfers are on alert as an eight-metre humpback washes onto rocks near Scarborough.
Is surfing just another sport? Have we been deluding ourselves?
Rare showing of 2018 film, plus live music and conversation.
The turnout exceeded all expectations for Merc's paddle out.
Comments
This year's Big Wave Awards might be a tad quieter than past years. The ceremony is scheduled for this Friday night while the Punta de Lobos comp is set to run on Thursday. Competitors will have about 24 hours to recuperate, travel to Santiago, fly to LA, tux up, then waltz on in.
Will NOT be broadcast live according to WSL website... gay!
Hows the surf forecast looking for this thurs there in chile ? At last a big left !
I haven't been keeping a close eye on it, but the satellite observations are pretty impressive, sustained fetch of 50-60kt winds aimed towards Chile.
Long period fore-runners are in the 24-25s range with the bulk of the swell around 19-20s. Pretty insane.
The swell looks to also build through the day Thursday, biggest late, peaking overnight and then easing Friday. S/SW winds which are cross-offshore for the point.
The no broadcast issue is huge in my opinion, everyone wants to see these big massive waves surfed live, not packaged later. Isn't this the whole push of the new WSL, live as it happens!
Hopefully they get something sorted..
Any idea why it's not being broadcast live? Logistical issues perhaps?
You're right Craig - the no broadcast is a huge issue.
Apart from Jaws this is the one Big Wave I really want to watch surfed live.
no broadcast? No money available?
Not sure of the reason but I suspect it may have something to do with the Big Wave Awards on the next day.
Surely they would have contingency to broadcast events live?
Are they going to broadcast any of the BWWT live? If not, sounds like they've given up on it as a live spectacle and are seeking ROI in the thirty seconds news slot.
You'd think so, they had both webcasts set to go live when Punta Galea and Jaws were expected to be on within a couple of days.
to broadcast live is about $750K.....down from $1m when the ASP did it.
As we all know there is a very small audience that watches the BWWT....maybe just too expensive ...and the logistics of setting up in Chile......could be a major increase in costs...too much expenditure for too little return......
On a good news front.....Mark Mathews is heading there tomorrow....got a start in the event....yewww
Cool marky is in and he likes big lefts . What boards have you eqquipped him with MC ?
Caml, Matt Grainger has loaned Marky Mark a 10'2" Webster for the comp ......and fuck what a stringer. Looks to be unwaxed.......brand new ?
9 8 I made for Mavs last year is on a plane as we speak.......nice big appelcore stringer glassed up to 11kgs.....hes frothing to have a crack.......go son!!
Tough gig coming off the bottom backside out there. 9 foot something of rail in the water of a big slopey, troughy, wave that runs quickly down the point.
Much as I like MM's big wave surfing you'd have to back the goofys.
Brutus how do they package those big long berthas for long haul air travel..boardbags or lightweight timber box.....and whats the cost ...lots of kgs all up, any idea ?
normally use Mal covers........and if ya lucky enough to be a Qantas silver member you get 3 bags free....so no cost for bds..I travel all the time with 10 bds...
I f ya airfreght them 2 arms and 3 legs...
$1250 US
FFS what a joke, those surfers should be getting thousands for that kind of surfing...?
Welly,
They just need to shave their armpits and stuff. Maybe bleach their tea towel holders,
I figure the adrenaline they get beats the coin anyway.
Udo that board for matt grainger is only about a month old . Never used hey . Why the fuck doesnt mark have his own board ? Hes been on the eddie list & everything for years but still isnt equipped . Some of these australian big wave surfers dont own boards over 6"2 . Theyre calling this south pac swell a beastly beauty .udo boardbags mate ! & they get trashed too . & a stringer means fuck all . Half inch one inch doesnt matter . Trees ie redwoods get snapped and blown over by strong wind . Swells have the same power just a different medium of that energy . Youd break that bit of wood in a second
I think I read that all his big wave boards were in Hawaii, hence borrowing this one.
Craig excactly why im saying is becos you would think hed have the equipment in his own possesion here in oz for strike missions to all of aust big waves . Coach cam
Yeah true, he should do.
Also its probably just a good social media plug for Grainger at Manly High performance surf centre.
I got a 10'3 board bag made in Bali with wheels for $150 bucks. Takes a 10'1 and another board. Weighs in at 26 kilos all up and is okay going international unless you got a stroppy checkin lady who insists you make it 23 kilos then you gotta chop it in half and make a 6'0 haha.
Stunet backsiders have won at punta de lobos before . The ten ft of rail comes handy doing a 300 metre bottom turn u just have to angle early ! Marks gone good at pipeline and he"ll be looking for a barrell but he doesnt like fat waves so he will be looking for hollow ones
MM 's has bds in Hawaii...on Oahu and mauii....has a 10' at Margs...and did have one at Mavs...and next week I am making another one for mavs......
and caml..using ply stringers is a must....Maks has a 14 ply....his new one will have a 14 ply central and there will be a 7 ply stringer 6" off the central like Noah j's 10 6.....
Yeah marks got a gun in margs got made 3 yrs ago but never used it . MC yeah those stringers are the go much more difficult to karate chop them than an australian brand stringer . Mark & hippo & dingo have been charging jaws recently but they still arent chasing much in australia yet . Theyre going to im sure now that the giving up the rope & tow . Marks been on the eddie list for years but hes only just starting to paddle xxl waves properly recently . You cant deny that
Interesting Caml giving up rope and tow. Why is that? Too much hassle or more of a challenge to paddle or a bit of both?
Well if u hadnt noticed the whole world has been paddling big waves instead of towing in the last cupla years . Except nazare every big break has become paddle in
I have however from my understanding the reason towing was invented aside from being able to get into the wave was to match the speed of the wave immediately and surf a much shorter board, which equals more turns. The shift back to paddle in seems the exact opposite. Which gets back the original question why the shift back?
I think it's a case of been there done that. Limits have been reached for tow-in's but not for paddling.
Thanks make sense the next frontier.
I dont think the recent tow ins at kirra had anything to do with matching the speed of the swell
Its like if there was a running race and some one gets on a pushbike and goes faster and wins the race then claims the awards for winning . Look big wave surfing is a macho thing , or one upping , who got the biggest wave or even personal challenge how big a wave you dare to catch and ride .
The rush of the drop must be part of the appeal back to paddling?
I much prefer viewing paddle ins. Even the turns-big boards on big waves.
Wonder how the bwt comp at chile is going ?
A local group was broadcasting but the wsl cut the feed. Pathetic
Really? Wow.
Mark Healey's Tweets don't sound very optimistic.
Looks like it's pumping according to Pete Mel.
hard to believe they acquired the BWWT and aren't broadcasting it. Bizarre.
Ken Skindog Collins is pretty scathing in his insta.
WSL buying The Big Wave World Tour and run events with not promoting and covering the event is BS. Heck they could post photos on Insta and fans would be stoked. At least give Big Wave fans something. If there was a Live Broadcast, NOBODY would be watching the 2 foot Trestles Event. It's a total business move, bury the competition. Now I know why South African Dungeons Locals and Jeff Clark with @titansofmavericks did not want to partner up with @wsl . Image the Super Bowl without live coverage, would not have many fans
https://instagram.com/p/2G5O1XxRK6/?taken-by=skin_dizzle
For those interested fascinating dialogue between BWWT surfers rep Brad Gerlech and Skindog. Apparently they are running again tomorrow.
Thats greg long not gerlach if you mean @gerglong
Hard to argue with that.
Geez there is some froth on the web over this swell.
https://www.theinertia.com/surf/americas-brace-for-swell-of-epic-proport…
just been on the WSL site....no mention that the comps even on........pretty obvious that there is no live webcast and no updates...the BWWT.....is this the death thros of the tour....the investment does not equal the return?
https://www.facebook.com/WSL/videos/vb.81269622057/10152865551732058/?t…
Twig wins first heat, WSL taking heat.
WSL denies plans of pay per view. Tracksmag.
So what are they really up to cause i dont get it it.
Well done Mark M . Some big names in his heat .
Makua Rothman keeps his form. winning again.
Mark M made the final, great effort.
Results: https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2015/mbwt/1334/quiksilver-ceremon…
Jeez, some solid ones coming through in the semis and final. The BWT must be glad they brough some flexibility into the schedule.
how did you see it Stu?
WSL recaps. Terrible production but you get to see the action.
Final: https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/115469/quiksilver-ceremonial-final-recap
Semi 2 here with Mark Mathews and a few straight up bombs: https://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/115441/quiksilver-ceremonial-sf-h2-recap
Geez found watching the high lights hard to watch and they were the High lights, rest of it must have been pretty awful.No disrespect to the guys putting it on the line but it wasnt happening for me.
Congrats to MM , but wow...pretty ordinary ..everything!
If you were a potential sponsor....not sure if you would continue.....no water footage?
Makua staking his claim again . Josh kerr & mark mathews more eastsiders who are australias best big wave surfers . When will some one from part of australia that actually has big waves dominate ? More evidence that oz best big wave surfers are from qld / nsw .
I mean paddle in when i say that .
looks like mark was using the 10'2 webster . those waves are big . don't be critisizing the size or action
yeah MM used the Webster in the comp..his leggie broke 1 st wipeout and his new 98 went on the rocks fins knocked out......but hes frothing on Mexico now...more guns to come ...
any body watch the WSL big wave awards??
I can't believe people slagging off the surfing, what I saw was epic balls out efforts right next to a death ledge. I had no idea it is that close to the rocks. The whitewater bounces like twice before it slams the ledge.
Maybe some people watch and don't understand the sheer logistics of catching big waves. These guys who catch multiple waves in a heat that long are champions. I don't surf waves like these but I do like to push myself and attempting to surf crazy waves and not getting any still counts as a win in my book.
Ramon Navarro drew a sick high line before getting detonated, Burle got a tour of one of the gnarliest ledges ever, MM charged hard and did us Aussies proud.
Sure the webcast thing was a shame and the wsl suffered but the waves and the efforts of the surfers were epic.
I can't believe people slag off events like this when the "best surfers" in the world try to find enough power in the waves to flick some piss ass reverse.
I wonder what is more impressive to someone who doesn't surf, a reverse 360 on a one foot gutless wave or a straighten out in front of a 20 foot close out in front of dry rock?
I would not be surprised if the reverse won.
Good surfing the guys were charging. Sik to see MM in the final in his first event. That webster looked like it was going real good for him.