Surfing
Surfing
Can pro surfers tame the titans? Inside the WSL Big Wave season
Now that the 2023/2024 Big Wave season is open, discover what makes this form of surfing so compelling and find out where some of the world's biggest waves can be found.
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Surfing is a spectacular sport in itself, but big wave surfing is something that needs to be seen to be believed. There's nothing quite like seeing a surfer conquer a monstrous slab of water, which is why the events in the World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave season have become must-watch occasions.
Dating back to 2009 when Brazil's Carlos Burle claimed the first WSL World Big Wave Tour title, the big wave competition season has grown in stature over the years and now attracts some of the biggest names in the world of surfing.
With the WSL 2023/2024 Big Wave season now officially open, there's no better time to delve into what makes this competition so special.
Ian Walsh running and gunning at XXL Jaws
© WSL/Keoki Saguibo
01
What does a big wave surfing event consist of?
Yes, it's all about catching giant waves, but with a few nuances. Each event has a different format and a different system. There are paddling tests in which surfers catch waves by paddling, with only their arms to help them, which is the old-fashioned way. Others are tow-in, with riders propelled by jet skis to catch the waves.
In general, most of the big wave competitions are individual, although there are also some in pairs, such as the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge.
As for the category, we can find different ranges, either WSL events or local competitions. In all of them there's usually a common denominator: both catching the biggest wave and the best performance are valued, without forgetting the prize for the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) wipeout.
02
When does the big wave season start?
The big wave season tends to run from November until March, as these are the months when surfers can find the biggest swells.
But a powerful swell isn't enough to trigger a big wave competition. There are many other variables to take into account such as wind, tides, swell direction or the availability of surfers. Therefore, they all have long waiting periods to select the most favourable forecast to activate the event.
03
What boards are used?
The evolution of surfboards for big waves has undergone an important transformation in recent years. In the beginning, big boards of up to 11 feet [3.35m] were used. This was helpful when it came to surfing the biggest waves possible.
Spain's Natxo Gonzalez loves challenging himself on the biggest waves
© Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
"In the beginning, what we were looking for was comfort when catching big waves," explains Basque shredder Natxo González. "We want to be able to anticipate the mass of water coming at us and then simply drop in. Now, the boards have been refined and are more for high performance.
"Boards are much more manageable to we can move a lot easier, make turns and manoeuvre them with more control."
As the boards have become more refined, it's allowed surfers to even perform aerials during tow-in events – something that was unthinkable only a few years ago. But when it comes to catching the biggest of waves, the bigger the board, the better.
04
Where are the two events in the WSL 2023/2024 Big Wave season taking place?
The WSL has just announced the start of the Big Wave season, from November 10, 2023 until March 31, 2024, with Peʻahi (Maui, Hawaii), also known as Jaws, and Praia do Norte (Nazaré, Portugal) as locations for their events. Both are highly recognised and respected waves in the big wave community and sites of historic world records. They'll also provide a huge challenge for riders coming from all corners of the world to test their own limits.
The WSL team will be looking for a consistent forecast that guarantees a minimum of 25 feet [8m] on the wave face throughout the competition. If all other conditions are favourable, the organisation will issue a probable start, known as a yellow alert, up to 72 hours before the potential run date of the event.
If conditions continue to be favourable, a Green Alert will be issued, meaning the competition will be officially on and fans can prepare to watch the surfers push the limits of what's possible in the next 24 hours.
05
TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge
3 min
The mighty waves of Nazaré
Enjoy big-wave surfers taking on the monstrous slabs at Nazaré.
Held in Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal, the one-day teams event with tow-in surfing will feature nine teams made up of two competitors in each team. The teams will be divided into three groups with three teams in each group. The competition will have a total of six 40-minute heats, where each group will participate in two heats, with each team alternating between surfing and driving the team's jet ski.
The confirmed competitor list is:
- Team 1: Lucas Chianca (BRA) and Kai Lenny (HAW)
- Team 2: Nic von Rupp (PRT) and Pedro Scooby (BRA)
- Team 3: Andrew Cotton (GBR) and Will Skudin (USA)
- Team 4: Rodrigo Koxa (BRA) and Kealii Mamala (HAW)
- Team 5: João De Macedo (PRT) and Antonio Silva (PRT)
- Team 6: Sebastian Steudtner (DEU) and Daniel Goldberg (HAW)
- Team 7: Maya Gabeira (BRA) and Pierre Rollet (FRA)
- Team 8: Michelle des Bouillons (BRA) and Ian Cosenza (PRT)
- Team 9: Justine Dupont (FRA) and Eric Rebiere (FRA)
The alternates are:
- Rafael Tapia (CHL) and Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
- Tony Laureano (PRT) and Pierre Caley (FRA)
- Benjamin Sanchis (FRA) Jerome Sahyoun (MAR)
06
TUDOR Jaws Big Wave Challenge
3 min
Watch Jaws bring in the new year in characteristic epic fashion
See Jaws ring in the new year in epic style.
Held in Jaws, Maui, Hawaii, the event will feature paddle-in surfing in an individual competition format. In the men's division, 24 competitors are divided into four heats of six surfers for the first round. The three highest-scoring surfers advance to the semi-finals and the top three surfers advance to the Final. The women's division runs in a similar format with 12 competitors.
The men's invitees:
- Billy Kemper (HAW)
- Ian Walsh (HAW)
- Nathan Florence (HAW)
- Kai Lenny (HAW)
- Makuakai Rothman (HAW)
- Lucas Chianca (BRA)
- Russell Bierke (AUS)
- Nic von Rupp (PRT)
- Eli Olson (HAW)
- Torrey Meister (HAW)
- Koa Rothman (HAW)
- Nic Lamb (USA)
- Grant Baker (RSA)
- Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
- Albee Layer (HAW)
- Tyler Larronde (HAW)
- Jojo Roper (USA)
- Ty Simpson-Kane (HAW)
- Matthew Bromley (RSA)
- Francisco Porcella (ITA)
- Trevor Carlson (HAW)
- Tom Lowe (GBR)
- Aaron Gold (HAW)
- Greg Long (USA)
The women's invitees:
- Paige Alms (HAW)
- Felicity Palmateer (AUS)
- Annie Reickert (HAW)
- Keala Kennelly (HAW)
- Emily Erickson (HAW)
- Michaela Fregonese (BRA)
- Bianca Valenti (USA)
- Skylar Lickle (HAW)
- Justine Dupont (FRA)
- Raquel Heckert (BRA)
- Laura Enever (AUS)
- Izzi Gomez (COL)
07
The history of big wave surfing
For centuries, Hawaiians surfed together in the smaller waves of Oahu's south shore, along the beaches of what are now Honolulu and Waikiki. However, as the sport gained popularity and surfboard technology and construction improved, Hawaiian surfers began to turn their attention to the much larger waves on the west and north shores of Oahu.
Surfers from Australia, the United States, Brazil and South Africa began to visit Oahu more and more often during the winter and, along with the Hawaiians, began to challenge the island's bigger waves.
From the 1970s onwards, big wave surfing spread to surfing communities around the world. But it was a rather slow expansion because its followers were few and far between and the evolution of equipment was much slower than that of small-wave surfing.
For the first decade of the new millennium, tow-surfing was the preferred way to tackle the biggest waves. That was until a new generation of 'purists' came on the scene who, along with the creativity of a handful of ingenious shapers, decided to take the sport back to its roots.
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