Saffas head for Todos

The call is not offial yet, but judging by the fact that Chris Bertish, Andy Marr and Twiggy are jetting over post haste, it looks on for Sunday. While Chrispy, Andy and Twiggy are in the invited 24, Slater and Knox are in Australia for the Goldie Pro, and will therefore not make it. This opens the window for Mike Schlebach who may get in as a wild card. Go SA boys go!

{youtube}-CCxrSleFt8{/youtube}

An elite crew of big wave surfers are on standby for the Todos Santos Big Wave Contest, which runs from February 1 to 28. Headed by recent winner of the Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Greg Long, the stellar cast of surfers will wait for a solid day at Killers, just off the town of Ensenada, northern Baja, in California.

The event (sponsored by Monster energy drink) marks the further growth of big wave surfing and in particular efforts by Gary Linden to establish a Big Wave World Tour. Linden, the latter contest director of Red Bull Big Wave Africa and a judge at the Mavericks event, has tried unsucessfully for 10 years to launch a paddle big wave event at Todos, but sponsors have been scarce, partly distracted by the glamorous rise of tow-in surfing.

However, the BWWWT is now established (it runs from April 1 2009 to March 31 2010). A paddle-only affair, the tour has had little interest from the brands, with Linden and supporters forging ahead on their own.

Included on the tour, which awards points according to how well surfers do in each event, are the Quiksilver Punta de Lobos in Chile (Twiggy Baker won it), the Billabong Pico Alto Invitational in Peru (Greg Long),and the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau (Greg Long), with the two last events at Mavericks and Todos still to run.

As testimony to their exploits in big waves, the organisers have recognised South Africans Andy Marr, Chris Bertish and of course Twiggy Baker (currently ranked fifth on the BWWT). Our guys will be in the samerarified air as the best of the best. James Taylor and Mike Schlebach are on the Alternates list.

Invitees

Greg Long (California)
Quiksilver Eddie Aikau 2009, Red Bull Big Wave Africa 2003 & Mavericks Big Wave Contest 2008 Winner – Current Big Wave World Tour leader. BWWT current #1

Peter Mel (California)
2009 -2010 Big Wave World Tour current runner-up.BWWT current #2

Carlos Burle (Brazil)
Reef @ Todos 98 Winner – BWWT current #3

Kelly Slater (Florida)
9 times  World Champion (ASP – Association of Surfing Professionals)– Quiksilver Eddie Aikau 2002 winner – BWWT #4

Grant “Twiggy” Baker (South Africa)
Red Bull Big Wave Africa 2008 & Mavericks Big Wave Contest 2006 Winner – BWWT #5

Taylor Knox (California)
Current ASP top surfer – 1998 K2 Challenge winner

Coco Nogales (Mexico)
Mexican Big Wave Legend

Shane Dorian (Hawaii)
Hawaiian Surf Legend

Ramon Navarro (Chile)
Winner of the “Monster Drop” at the 2009 Eddie Aikau

- David Rutherford (Mexico)
- Oscar Moncada (Mexico)
- Gabriel Villaran (Peru)
- Garrett McNamarra (Hawaii)
- Mike Parsons (California)
- Nathan Fletcher (California)
- Rusty Long (California)
- Evan Slater (California)
- Mark Healey (Hawaii)
- Jaimie Sterling (Hawaii)
- Danilo Couto (Brazil)
- Chris Bertish (South Africa)
- Ryan Seelbach (California)
- Andrew Marr (South Africa)
- Dave Wassel (Hawaii)

Alternates include:

- Will Dillon (Mexico/USA)
- Kohl Christensen (Hawaii)
- Derek Dunfee (California)
- Ken “Skindog” Collins (California)
- Jaimie Mitchell (Australia)
- Grant Washburn (California)
- Kealii Mamala (Hawaii)
- Tj Saeman (California)
- Garth Englehorn (California)
- Rafael Velarde (Peru)
- James Taylor (South Africa)
- Anthony Tashnick (Califronia)
- Mike Schlebach (South Africa)
- Tyler Smith (California)
- Diego Medina (Chile)
- Will Skudin (California)
- Bryce Saeman (California)

Heat 1:
Oscar Moncada (Mexico)
Carlos Burle (Brazil)
Nathan Fletcher (USA - California)
Andrew Marr (South Africa)
Greg Long (USA - California)
Taylor Knox (USA - California)

Heat 2:
Dave Wassel (USA - Hawaii)
Chris Bertish (South Africa)
Grant Baker (South Africa)
Gabriel Villaran (Peru)
Kelly Slater (USA - Florida)
Mark Healey (USA - Hawaii)

Heat 3:
Coco Nogales (Mexico)
Ryan Seelbach (USA - California)
Evan Slater (USA - California)
Garrett McNamarra (USA - Hawaii)
Mike Parson (USA)

Heat 4:
Shane Dorian (USA - Hawaii)
Rusty Long (USA - California)
Peter Mel (USA - California)
Ramon Navarro (Chile)
David Rutherford (Mexico)