Big Wave Africa field announced
17 July 2008
The list of surfers invited to compete in the 10th anniversary edition of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa has been announced. It features a mix of young and old, local and international, experienced Dungeons surfers and rookies.
The 24-man field has been broken down into 12 locals and 12 internationals, while a handful of alternates will also be on standby.
The local lineup includes the Durban trio of Twiggy Baker, Jason Ribbink and 2006 Red Bull BWA winner John Whittle. Cape Town will be represented by chargers Mickey Duffus, Andy Marr and Simon Lowe, who know their way around Dungeons, while James Taylor and Charles Reitz will be contesting the event for the first time.
International surfers
The international surfers include some long-time supporters of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa, including Grant Washburn and Greg Long from California, Carlos Burle from Brazil, and Ross Clarke-Jones from Australia. Mark Healey and Ian Walsh from Hawaii are two of the international rookies, along with Ramon Navarro of Chile.
The Red Bull Big Wave Africa Website is set to go live on Thursday, 17 July. It has plenty of interesting features, with downloads, profiles, the 10-year event history, videos and images, and the live webcast portal.
For the first time in the history of the event, the entire contest will be broadcast live on web, allowing people around the world to watch the event unfold wave by wave.
Waiting period
The waiting period for the Red Bull Big Wave Africa runs from 24 July until 31 August. The five-week period falls during the best swell window period for Dungeons, thus increasing the likelihood of giant waves rolling over the reef and providing a worthy arena for the competitors.
Co-contest directors, Gary Linden of the USA and South African Jonathan Paarman will call the contest only when the right conditions are reached.
Some of the international surfers will be facing Dungeons for the first time, and they will have to adjust to the big waves as well as the ice-cold water, the thick kelp beds, and the thousands of seals and the other creatures that lurk under the ocean.
Three winners
The Red Bull Big Wave Africa is the second longest running big wave event in the world behind the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational In Memory Of Eddie Aikau, and there have been three winners over the last nine years.
Sean Holmes won the event in 2000, Greg Long from California claimed victory in 2003, and Durban surfer John Whittle was the most recent winner in 2006 when South African surfers secured the top three places.
The winner’s prize this year is a cheque for R100 000. Further prizes for places and speciality awards take the total value of the event’s prize purse to R350 000.
Invited Surfers
- Sean Holmes (RSA)
- Greg Long (USA)
- Grant Baker (RSA)
- Carlos Burle (BRA)
- Jason Ribbink (RSA)
- Grant Washburn (USA)
- Chris Bertish (RSA)
- Peter Mel (USA)
- Andrew Marr (RSA)
- Paul Paterson (Aus)
- John Whittle (RSA)
- Jamie Sterling (Haw)
- David Smith (RSA)
- Ross Clarke-Jones (Aus)
- Mickey Duffus (RSA)
- Tyler Smith (USA)
- Simon Lowe (RSA)
- Mark Healey (Haw)
- Ian Armstrong (RSA)
- Anthony Tashnick (USA)
- James Taylor (RSA)
- Ramon Navarro (Chile)
- Charles Reitz (RSA)
- Ian Walsh (Haw)
