Twiggy Green Light

WINNING WAYS: Twiggy loves Puerto. Lets hope he can do it again. Photo WSL / Marenel

The green light alert has been given for the event to run and reigning WSL BWT Twiggy will be looking to repeat his win in the inaugural event at the famed Mexican beach break last June. He is the top seed in the 24 man field that includes two-time BWT Champion Greg Long (USA), Pe’ahi champion Billy Kemper (HAW) and up-and-comers Pedro Calado (BRA) and Jimel Corzo (MEX).

"We have been patiently waiting for Mother Nature to deliver the right swell, and we have one on the way,” said Mike Parsons, WSL Big Wave Tour Commissioner. “We expect surf in the 20-to-25 foot face range that will make for some spectacular surfing. This swell we are tracking is from a very good direction for Puerto that should make for some amazing tube rides. Based on the forecasts, we will keep both Sunday and Monday open as an option to run.”

TWIG ON A BOUGH: Grant Baker is dwarfed by a massive wave. Photo WSL / Hinckle

This will be the second BWT event at Mainland Mexico’s Puerto Escondido, which is home to one of the most monstrous and unruly waves on earth. With a volatile sandbar bottom, the world-renowned beach break requires technical mastery, extreme physical endurance, and boundless courage from all who accept the challenge.

“We are thrilled to be heading back to Puerto Escondido to start this year’s BWT season,” continued Parsons. “What’s unique about Puerto is how much power the wave has and how hollow it breaks. Unlike Pipeline or Teahupo’o, Puerto breaks on a very shallow sand bar that makes for some of the steepest drops of any wave in the world. We are excited to see this wave challenge the very best big wave surfers on the planet.”

TUBE MEISTER: How many times has Twiggy been barrelled I wonder? Photo WSL / Morales

Surfline, Official Forecasters for the 2017 WSL BWT season are calling for:

A series of large, overlapping SSW swells will build into Puerto Escondido from Saturday to Monday. For Sunday we’ll look for the largest waves in the morning, with face size in the 15-20’ range, with max sets pushing 25’ faces early. A temporary easing trend takes over through the morning and into the afternoon on Sunday. On Monday, reinforcing SSW swell fills in through the morning and looks largest for the later morning and into the afternoon with size up slightly from Sunday with 15-25’ faces. The very largest sets of the day push 28’ faces. While these aren’t giant swells by Puerto standards, they are from an ideal SSW direction, which will provide excellent shaped waves many makeable barrels.

The event will be broadcast LIVE via www.WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app and on Facebook Live via the WSL's Facebook page.

GOING LEFT: Twiggy in a pig-dog crouch on a Puerto bomb. Photo WSL / Hinckle

2017 BWT Puerto Escondido Competitor List:

Grant Baker
Pedro Calado
Greg Long
Jamie Mitchell
Billy Kemper
Nic Lamb
Will Skudin
João de Macedo
Cristian Merello
Kai Lenny
Makuakai Rothman
Nathan Florence
Francisco Porcella
Trevor Sven Carlson
Tom Lowe
Mark Healey
Damien Hobgood
Peter Mel
Jamel Corzo
Rogercin Ramirez
Angelo Lozano
Jose Ramirez
Coco Nogales
Oscar Moncada