This year just keeps getting better! Yesterday, the ASP announced the inclusion of a Big Wave World Tour (BWWT) event on our stoep. Under the Sentinal where Dungeons roars – that’s where the world’s best big wave surfers will be doing battle.
The view from the Sentinel.
Better still, Pe’ahi on Maui, Hawaii, has also been included on the 2014/15 schedule. Affectionately called ‘JAWS’, some of the recent performances by the paddle surfers out there have been mind-bending and fans will be eagerly awaiting the match-ups at the gigantic blue A-frame.
The waiting period for the Northern Hemisphere events only kick-off in October though, but hopefully we won’t have to wait long to see the likes of Twiggy, Dorian, Long and Healey launching themselves into some Dungeons grinders. The Southern Hemisphere leg begins on 15 April. A swell early in the waiting period would be epic, but it does run until 31 August.
Twiggy and James Taylor share a beast at Dungeons during the 2008 Red Bull Big Wave Africa.
Mavericks was this season’s most-watched event, so it’s a shock to see that it has been struck from the list of tour stops next season. No mention of the reason was supplied in the official press release, which you can read below (including a full lineup of events).
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ASP ANNOUNCES BWWT SCHEDULE
Todos Santos will once again feature on the Big Wave World Tour Schedule.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014 – The Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2014/2015 Big Wave World Tour (BWWT).
Showcasing the world’s premiere big wave surfers, the BWWT boasts a flexible two-part schedule, activating events in both hemispheres in line with optimum swell windows at some of the planet’s most renowned big wave venues:
Southern Hemisphere (April 15, 2014 through August 31, 2014):
• Punta de Lobos, Chile
• Pico Alto, Peru
• Dungeons, South Africa
Northern Hemisphere (October 15, 2014 to February 28, 2015):
• Todos Santos, Mexico
• Punta Galea, Basque Country Spain
• Pe’ahi (Jaws), Maui HI
Joining the classic breaks of Punta de Lobos (Chile), Pico Alto (Peru), Todos Santos (Mexico) and Punta Galea (Basque Country Spain) will be two new events in Dungeons (South Africa) and Pe’ahi “Jaws” (Maui).
“This year’s ASP BWWT schedule is a great start to the new season,” Peter Mel, former BWWT Champion and ASP Deputy Commissioner, said. “The addition of Dungeons and Pe’ahi really cement the foundation of this Tour in determining the world’s most comprehensive big wave surfer. The variety of each of these breaks and the culture of the local communities makes this a very special thing to be a part of.”
Founded by renowned big wave legend Gary Linden in 2009, the BWWT was acquired by the ASP in 2013 and the Tour will be serviced by the foremost governing body of professional surfing moving forward.
“The big wave community is one built on respect and a collective admiration of the ocean,” Linden said. “When we started the BWWT, it was designed to celebrate the achievements of this community and our relationship with the ASP will allow us to do so on a significantly enhanced platform. We’re very eager to see what the 2014/2015 season brings.”
The acquisition of the BWWT by the ASP will allow for top ASP surfers such as 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 42, reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS), 32, Hawaiian phenom John John Florence (HAW), 21, amongst others to join respected BWWT surfers like Greg Long (USA), 28, Grant Baker (ZAF), 40, and Carlos Burle (BRA), 45, in competition with waves in the 25-foot-and-above range.
The BWWT will complement the current ASP tours of the men’s and women’s ASP WCT, the ASP World Junior Championship, ASP World Longboard Championship and regional tours around the globe.
The first stop on the 2014 ASP World Championship Tour will be the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast from March 1 – 12
