Big Wave World Tour starts in Pichilemu

PUNTA DE LOBOS – The big wave world tour has begun the waiting period for its first event of the year. Just south of Pichilemu, Punta de Lobos is world famous for being able to hold huge swells. The Quicksilver Ceremonial Chile event does not just have pride as a prize, with the winner taking away US$20,000.

Surfers wait for swell to pick up at Punta de Lobos. Photo: Daniel Boyle

Here is a video of Chile’s big wave hero Ramón Navarro taking on the wave during last year’s event. The local “hellman” with a fearless reputation throughout the world is looking forward to this year’s event.  ”Having the first stop of the 2012 Big Wave World Tour season in my backyard is great. I’ve been speaking to other competitors too, and everyone’s looking forward to the 2012 Ceremonial and another chance to spend time in Chile with friends while surfing gigantic waves.”

Navarro is extremely well respected throughout the surfing world. The most successful surfer of all time, Kelly Slater had great things to say about the Chilean:

“Ramón is an epic human. He’s quiet, he charges, he helps those around him, and he pushes himself. I look forward to spending good time with him once I’m not competing so much and getting some huge waves with him. He’s been down there alone for so many years in Chile and now he’s opened up a whole new world to his big wave friends. It’s a good challenge and he’s the guy to put everyone there. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Many of the greats of surfing mark Navarro contribution to the sport by pushing the limits of big wave surfing, as well as marking him as “a great surfer and an even better human”.

Some of the other contestants in the lineup include: Jamie Sterling, Kohl Christensen, Carlos Burle, Marcos Monteiro, Peter Mel, Cristian Merello, Greg Long, Gabriel Villarán, Mark Healey, Jaimie Mitchell, Danilo Couto, Rusty Long, Grant “Twiggy” Baker, Ramón Navarro, Diego Medina, Fernando Zegers, Joao De Macedo, Felipe Cesarano, Nathan Fletcher, Ken Collins, Frank Soloman, Ian Walsh, Ben Wilkinson, and León Vicuna. Past winners of the event include Marcos Monteiro (2011), Christian Merello (2010) and Grant “Twiggy” Baker (2009).

The competition has a long waiting period, hoping to get the giant swells that regularly crash against the Pacific coast. The event began on April 1st and the holding period will last until May 31st. The current conditions are marked as 9 foot waves, with swell “on the rise”. The surfers will be waiting until the waves reach at least 30 foot to begin the competition.