Kelly Slater will be competing in the Todos Santos Challenge on Sunday, January 17th.
This coming Sunday, the Todos Santos Challenge is operating on a green light status. With a giant swell pulsing its way towards the famed big wave spot, Big Wave Commissioner Pete Mel called the contest on, and Kelly Slater quickly confirmed that he’d be competing in the event. “The 11-time World Champion is stepping back into the big-wave arena at Todos Santos,” said the WSL.
Slater is slotted in the fourth heat of round one, along with Greg Long, Damien Hobgood, and Billy Kemper. The Big Wave tour operates a little differently than the regular tour: each event has four separate invite lists, and each one of those list has its own set of alternates.
On the first list, ten slots are held for the top ten from last year. If someone pulls out, the highest ranked surfer replaces them until the list is complete. The second list is for video invitees, and has two spots. The third list is for six locals, while the last list has five spots for “celebrated Big Wave Tour invitees.” To round the whole thing out, there’s an injury wildcard, as well.
Slater leapt at the chance to surf in the event, while Shane Dorian has decided to stay and surf the massive swell pounding Jaws right now. “Shane said he just didn’t have the energy to make the trip at this point,” said Mel. Dorian will be replaced by Damien Hobgood.
The forecast for Sunday looks extremely promising, with thirty to forty foot faces predicted. “The beautiful thing about Todos is it magnifies any swell it gets,” said Peter Mel. “The bathymetry focuses all the wave energy into a funnel that magnifies the swell intensely right as it approaches the lineup. Every wave stands tall.”
Watch the event unfold on Worldsurfleague.com.
