Todos Santos, November 2010. Photo: Tony Zacharek
The World Surf League’s Big Wave Tour called the Todos Santos Challenge on for Sunday, January 17th. With a 30-foot+ swell sprinting towards Baja California, it’s sure to be a great event… but it will be hard to live up to the greatness of the Peahi Challenge.
“The swell we’ve been tracking from North of Hawaii has intensified and we’ve called the Todos Santos Challenge ON for a Sunday start,” said Peter Mel, WSL Big Wave Commissioner. “We’re looking at 30-foot-plus waves projected for the day with favorable winds and tides.”
“We have been closely monitoring a hurricane force low to the north of Hawaii over the past 24 hours as it will set up an XXL swell for Todos Santos through the day on Sunday,” wrote Surfline forecasters. “Thus far, we have observed satellite verified wind of 50-75 knots and seas in excess of 50 feet in this storm and it still has plenty of life left in the next 12-24 hours. At this point we expect to see strong, long period west-northwest swell build through the day on Sunday, with the largest waves in the afternoon.”
Right now, Billy Kemper sits atop the ratings of the Big Wave Tour, and after his win in Maui, he’s going into the event full of confidence. The last event at Todos Santos ran in 2010, and Mark Healey took the win. Makuakai Rothman, the current big wave world champion, is excited about the event. “It looks like another one of those big righthand waves that I love to surf,” he said. “It’s on. Game time!”
The Todos Santos Challenge will be webcast LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com
