The Puerto Escondido Challenge Is Green Lit For Friday

The Puerto Challenge, along with four other potential BWT breaks, didn’t have the swell to run in the 2015 season. Which is the problem with the Big Wave Tour: It’s not often there’s enough juice to carry out the events in surf that lives up to the desired calibre. Today, they’ve green lit the notorious beachbreak to start Friday, June 24 and potentially run through Saturday. Right now the forecast is projecting 30 foot-plus waves to be whipping through Oaxaca.

“The swell we’ve been tracking from the South Pacific has intensified and we’ve called the Puerto Escondido Challenge on for a Friday start,” BWT Commish Pete Mel told the WSL. “We’re looking at 30 foot-plus surf projected for the day with favourable winds and tides.”

2015 was Puerto’s inaugural year on tour but this will be the first big wave event to ever run at the Mexican Pipeline. As attention to big wave surfing continues to pique an additional stop has been added. The tour will now have the prospect to cap off at rolling novelty Nazaré – which wouldn’t be great viewing, since without a barrel, big waves lose their flair from a viewer’s standpoint – at the year’s end. There are eight potential breaks in total compared to last year’s seven and it’s a far cry from the meagre three stops in 2013 – although, only three events ran in 2015.

“We’re very excited to get the 2016/2017 BWT season underway,” said Mr Mel. “We have the best big wave surfers on the planet traveling to Mexico from all over the world in anticipation of the event. Puerto Escondido is a heavy and challenging break that will test the competitors and set the tone for this season. We’re excited. It’s on.”

The event will consist of a 24-man field comprised of the top 10 finishers from the ’15/’16 season. The reigning champ, Greg Long, has been in the area for the past week preparing for the event. He’ll be joined by last year’s runner up Makua Rothman, and Peahi Challenge winner Billy Kemper, amongst others. The rest of the lineup will be filled by six event wildcards, three BWT wildcards, and one injury replacement of the top four Surfline Overall Performance of the Year Award recipients. We’ll get to see the notable big wave gents who were banned by the WSL to compete in the Red Bull Cape Fear that electrified the world with grave anxiety, take to hammering Puerto… if the swell stays true, it’s going to be a spectacle.  

The invitees: 
Greg Long
Makuakai Rothman
Billy Kemper
Nic Lamb
Albee Layer
Carlos Burle
Damien Hobgood
Cristian Merello
Gabriel Villaran
Trevor Carlson
Grant Baker
Jamie Mitchell
Kai Lenny
Pedro Calado
Will Skudin
Rusty Long
Koa Rothman
Tom Lowe
Coco Nogales
Oscar Moncada
Jose Ramirez
Angelo Lozano
Rogercin Ramirez Jr.
Jimel Corzo