Jaws Goes Green, Will Also Run On Thursday

This is starting to look like the best week of surf in quite some time.

The Pipe Masters opening round just got under way, and the waves are quite solid. There’s another swell due to back up the current one, and it is, officially, big enough to run the cannabis-infused 2019 Jaws Big Wave Championships—the only paddle event left on the WSL Big Wave Tour.

We know this because the WSL gave it the green light just one hour ago.  

This swell will not pack the same punch as last year’s ill-fated Jaws endeavor—which provided two of the most incredible rides in the history of surfing—but it has some things in its favor, like a precursor swell that will help draw the big swell in and relatively clean ocean conditions preceding the run day. 

We asked notorious Jaws shoulder-hopper, Albee Layer, his thoughts on the conditions:

“Ummm, I think it will be pretty fun,” Albee said. “Nothing crazy I don’t think, and there is some wind. But good direction and good period.”

After last year’s mega-death session to its chest-high finals day, a more tame swell seems right up the WSL’s alley. 

Here are the official rosters (men and women) for the event:

Women’s Division 
Paige Alms (HAW)
Justine Dupont (FRA)
Emily Erickson (HAW)
Raquel Heckert (BRA)
Keala Kennelly (HAW)
Andrea Moller (BRA)
Felicity Palmateer (AUS)
Bianca Valenti (USA)
Wildcard 1 TBD
Wildcard 2 TBD

Men’s Division 
Grant Baker (ZAF)
Alex Botelho (PRT)
Russell Bierke (AUS)
Lucas Chianca (BRA)
Trevor Carlson (HAW)
Nathan Florence (HAW)
Natxo Gonzalez (EUK)
Greg Long (USA)
Mark Healey (HAW)
Billy Kemper (HAW)
Kai Lenny (HAW)
Albee Layer (HAW)
Tyler Larronde (HAW)
Nic Lamb (USA)
Tom Lowe (GBR)
Torrey Meister (HAW)
Jamie Mitchell (AUS)
Jojo Roper (USA)
Koa Rothman (HAW)
Makuakai Rothman (HAW)
Nic von Rupp (PRT)
Ian Walsh (HAW)
Wildcard 1 TBD
Wildcard 2 TBD