2015 Pe’ahi Challenge. Photo: WSL / Richard Hallman
The World Surf League announced today that the Big Wave Tour’s Pe’ahi Challenge is being placed on Green Alert for a possible Thursday start. The announcement comes alongside the projection of a 30-foot plus swell heading toward Haiku, Hawaii.
Big Wave Tour Commissioner Peter Mel says the swell is expected to hold through Friday, which would kick off the tour’s 2016/2017 Northern Hemisphere season. The official Surfline forecast says:
Another strong winter storm is currently sliding across the Bering Sea/Aleutians, packing a good fetch for Hawaii with wind speeds up to 35-50kts. Meanwhile, the same storm that pushed out the current NNW pulse is still holding a fetch aimed at the Islands, but now located up in the Gulf of Alaska.
Beyond the start of the Northern Hemisphere season on the Big Wave Tour, the event will mark a historic event in the sport. 12 athletes will be competing for the first WSL Big Wave Tour women’s title at this event, with a $30,000 purse dedicated to the women’s event.
“These ladies as some of the most dedicated, passionate and talented big wave surfers on the planet,” Mel said. “It will be phenomenal to witness them tackle Pe’ahi.”
The ladies’ field consists of Keala Kennelly, Paige Alms, Andrea Moller, Bianca Valenti, Emily Erickson, Savannah Shaugnessy, Justine Dupont, Jamilah Starr, Maya Gabiera, Sylvia Nabuco, Laura Enever and Wrenna Delgado.
Meanwhile, the men’s event will be contested by 24 men, with Puerto Escondido Challenge winner Grant “Twiggy” Baker leading the tour rankings. Last year’s winner, Billy Kemper is also in the men’s field at Pe’ahi, entering the event ranked equal 13th on the Big Wave Tour.
