Mavericks…now an official ASP World Tour stop. Photo: Jacobovs
Today, the ASP announced that the Big Wave World Tour will formally join the Association of Surfing Professionals, an acquisition that will include support in 2013 and formal sanctioning in 2014.
“We are very pleased to have finalized the deal between the ASP and the Big Wave World Tour,” Paul Speaker, ASP CEO, said in a press release. “The competitors on the BWWT are some of the fiercest and most-respected watermen on the planet and we are eager about the opportunity to take their tour to the next level. This arrangement also allows the world’s best surfers on the ASP World Championship Tour to compete in big-wave events moving forward. 2014 will be an exciting year on all fronts.”
The Big Wave World Tour, founded by Gary Linden, currently hosts six international contests in Pichilemu/Chile, Punta Hermosa/Peru, Lincoln City/Oregon, Half Moon Bay/California, Baja California/Mexico and Punta Galea/Spain.
So what does this mean for the Top 34? According to Dave Prodan, ASP VP of Communication, the Top 34 surfers will be able to surf the BWWT events, enabling Kelly Slater, Joel Parkinson, John John Florence, and others to join respected BWWT surfers like Greg Long, Grant Baker, and Carlos Burle, in competition with waves in the 25-foot-and-above range.
“The Big Wave World Tour is a great addition to the Association of Surfing Professionals,” Kieren Perrow, ASP Commissioner, said. “It adds another dimension to the sport and will make it significantly easier for ASP Top 34 surfers to compete in big-wave events. We have the utmost respect for the athletes on the BWWT and we really look forward to working with them.
The Big Wave World Tour is currently on high alert for a possible run of the Quiksilver Ceremonial at Pichilemu in Chile in the coming days.
