Red Bull Cape Fear gets the green light!
Peahi has the height, the Eddie the prestige, but Red Bull Cape Fear has the carnage. The 2016 version of the event proved that when contestants rocketed from watery cannons just metres from the Cape Solander rocks.
This year's event has shifted south to Shippies where the proximity of rocks is swapped for the infamous steps.
Yesterday the event got the orange light to run on Monday and competitors are packing boards and awaiting instructions.
Note: Red Bull confirmed the contest has got the green light and will run on Monday.
Swellnet has been working with the organisers and the storm that's caught their eye is actually packing two swells. The first is an XL macker that will hit on Sunday out of the south-west, while right on its tail is a slightly smaller swell - though with better orientation - that's due on Monday morning (see image below). The second swell will reinforce the energy already in the water.
Current estimates have the size pegged around 12-15ft through Monday morning, easing during the day. The wind, which is a big factor down there, will be moderate to fresh N/NW, likely shifting more NW into the afternoon and possibly easing through the day.
And the possibility for carnage? Low tide is at 9:30 in the morning, when the swell should be at its biggest and the first heats will be in the water.
The competitors now have to confirm they can make it and get to Hobart by Sunday night - except for the ten blokes who live just down the road of course.
Stay tuned for further news.
Surfers competing in Red Bull Cape Fear:
- Mick Fanning (AUS)
- Russell Bierke (AUS)
- Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS)
- Jamie O-Brien (USA)
- Kai Lenny (USA)
- Pedro Scooby (BRA)
- Laurie Towner (AUS)
- Ryan Hipwood (AUS)
- Nathan Florence (USA)
- Billy Kemper (USA)
- Daniel Griffiths (TAS)
- Shaun Wallbank (TAS)
- James McKean (TAS)
- James Hollmer-Cross (TAS)
- Tyler Hollmer-Cross (TAS)
- Michael Brennan (TAS)
- Zebulon Critchlow (TAS)
- Brook Phillips (TAS)
- Marti Paradisis (TAS)
- Alex Zawadzki (TAS)
Comments
Broadcast live?
Yeah, bookmark this page: https://www.redbull.com/au-en/events/redbull-cape-fear/athletes
Much midget.
Keramas may run the same day. Could be a busy day of web watching, or will Red Bull and WSL collaborate now that they're in bed together? (Red Bull Airbourne)
That is a killer lineup. Love to see the locals go against the big names.
Zebulon. That's one hell of a first name!
Any word on whether they intend to close land access? I live nearby....
Def no spectator access.
Thanks, saves me a walk in.
Unfortunately? for the rest of us locals we will all be in the water given the conditions.
And she's on for Monday ...what are you calling Craig ...12-15 ft ?
No official call yet Udo? But yep 12-15ft easing through the day.
Is it paddle or tow in? Wouldn't fancy paddling 15' shippies although would kill 4-5' Keramas as a spectacle.
Mix of tow and paddle. Likely tow in the morning and then changing to paddle?
I thought Jughead got a call up?
Yep Jug is in.
Looks like we're on..
Owen to Eugene are you in it...Eugene yes unfortunately.
What about Parko?
Booger wants a paddle expression session...
the boogs would run away with it if it was just paddle
That lad charges harder than anyone.
Yeah Sprout, he’s crazy. No fear
Go Danny
The Amazing Race (Red Bull) "Shipstern Targa Challenge"
(1st Stage) Hobart to Shipstern starts with grueling 2hr 'Tasman Bridge Bottleneck'
(Note: Clever contestants will grab a servo coffee for some loose change.)
(2nd Stage)'Carpark Roadblock' 2hr Walk track penalty carting 'Slabs of Red Bull'
(Tas.Nat Parks require Gold Coin entry) Tight arses need to 'backtrack' for a coffee.
(3rd Stage) (9:30 am) 'Low Tide Jet Ski cut off' or paddle into the monster set waves.
Watch for 'Locals Only' 'Swellnet Taz Tigerz' for possible interference calls...It's On!
25-30 knt offshore?
15-20kt more so.
Hmmmm gonna have to work out how to push that team meeting to finish by 9am.
Sharkman ..if RCJ is paddling in on Monday what dimensions board will he be on?
Who is sharkman?
RCJs shaper..
Post by National Parks saying all paths etc are open to the public.
But the event site area closed to public and photographers
Have you got a link for this info Udo?
Found it. I reckon this means no access down to the rock shelf, which would be totally reasonable.
Dunno...Cape Fear Cape Solander was a lockout eh ?
Is Forecast still on track ?
RedBull site - Cape Fear FAQs
Heard mixed reports from this arvo but yes it is. Great winds, morning low tide and hopefully 12-15ft easing sets.
salty h check martiparas insta click the link
Got it, fair enough. I've canned the idea anyhow.
I'm calling it a flop. Barely knee high down here. They will be lucky if they get 3-4 ft.
And they're starting to push back the start time...
Swell late or no show?
looks small on the cam. long shot tho so possibly deceptive. they’re saying 9am start
Shame its so small for shippies , the local boys would be feeling ripped off , hardly the spectacle it could have been in a decent swell. The seppo commentary is pretty nauseating .
Well that was underwhelming for what it could have been. Too much emphasis on getting an all day perfect wind rather than a big raw swell I would say. She hardly bared her teeth. I know what I'd rather watch. It also goes to show the difficulty of predicting swells down here. It is hard enough to predict for the following day than a few days out. I've got to say the Cape Solander comp a couple years back was far more edge of your seat entertaining.
that commentary is the worst dribble I've ever had to listen to
had to turn it off
man vs nature? where do they get those yokles
and why have tow ins in such easily paddleable conditions?
maybe places like shippies should be left alone with no comps/commercial activities
Im glad i got some work done today, between 2ft Keramas and not doing it Shippys that was all a bit of a disappointment.
I really like the RB CF concept but think it fell short today. It was smaller than everyone would have liked but if tow was taken out the spectacle of seeing guys JUST paddling would have made up for it. An absolutely hectic wave, so not trying to talk down whipping into an 8-10ft bomb, but this is a once off. We want to see guts and glory.
Regardless, I hope red bull keep the concept going. Next time just don’t wait two years for a mediocre swell event. There were plenty of big ones they could have gone on.
https://m.
Raw footage for those who missed the stream
(or can do without the commentary)
Here's a curveball - been speaking with someone from the BOM, who's got data access to the early trials of Cape Sorell's new directional buoy (won't be publicly available until next year).
Apparently, Monday morning was recording 4.5 - 5.0m at 16 secs, with direction SSW (215 deg).
By comparison, this morning's data was 4.0m at 13 secs, from the SW (225 deg).
And the South Arm is a little bigger today than Monday, despite the smaller size, lower period and slightly more westerly component in the swell direction.
This is even more perplexing. Monday's data fits in with observations from SA (Mid Coast was tiny, Victor was very large) and also fits in with Victorian observations (Surf Coast was very large, and the size differential between there and the MP wasn't as big as normal). But, with all of these obs taken into account, plus the buoy data, Tasmania should have delivered plenty of waves through the South Arm and much bigger surf at Shipsterns than we ended up experiencing.
Once again: magic numbers is the key here. The regional direction may have been well aimed for Tasmania as a region, but Monday's particular period/direction combo just wasn't perfect for Shipsterns or the South Arm.
Jeez, I wouldn't mind a spare four years to do a PhD on this.
I think Mark Hemmer's team have a major project running on these inshore nuances of swell direction and period.... will probably a high res product from the next BRAN iteration.... I think there is more than a couple of PhDs and Post Docs in the data associated with nearshore swell dynamics....
2021 Shipstern Bluff (Window) March 3rd >
https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/trailer-videos/red-bull-cape-fear-teaser-clip
https://www.redbull.com/au-en/red-bull-cape-fear-is-back-for-another-hug...