Big Wave Challenge Updates Rule On Biggest Waves

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Two weeks after the inaugural awards ceremony for the Big Wave Challenge, organisers have updated a ruling on their biggest wave categories.

"Let their be no confusion," the social media post begins.

"For an entered wave to be considered for nomination in the categories of biggest wave (paddle) or biggest wave (tow) of the Big Wave Challenge, the surfer must have successfully completed the “meaningful part of the wave.” In this case that will be defined as having fully ridden through at least the second significant section of the wave.

"While every wave is different, as a general example the first section of a big wave will include the drop and the initiation of a bottom turn. In more cases than not, it is that next (second) section of the wave that will include the completion of the bottom turn followed by the most dramatic challenge, often a tube (or otherwise threatening and steep period).

"If a surfer completes the wave past this point while still under control it will be regarded as a 'Make'. A surfer will not be required to complete the final section(s) of the wave unscathed and slide out the back with dry hair to retain 'Make' status, (although that is the maximum measure of success).

"If a surfer completes the described meaningful portion of the wave and then straightens out, does a flying kickout or is clipped by a minor inside section, it will still be regarded as a wave eligible for nomination and will be considered for its merits as a potential nominee. Entered waves may still be displayed on the event website and social media through the season while their 'Make' status is analyzed."

When the awards were announced, Chacha Ibarra and Laura Enever won the men and women's awards for biggest paddle waves - Enever also claiming a Guiness World Record into the deal. Neither, however, made their waves and questions were asked of the entries.

The Big Wave Challenge wouldn't be drawn on what the new rule meant for past winners: "We are only looking forward," was their reply when asked. "Previous winners and records will stand. All will be broken correctly in the future."

Though it may just lead to further questions about where the meaningful part of the wave begins or ends, big wave surfers such as Twiggy Baker and Greg Long expressed their delight in the Instagram comments, while Jamie Sterling wrote, "Thank you for putting a stop to the "go straight inflate" generation.

It's worth noting that, had the new ruling been in place in 2016, Aaron Gold may not have held the world record for his 63 foot wave at Jaws.

It's also worth noting that, while wearing a vest, Gold didn't inflate it when swatted after takeoff.

Comments

Mishad's picture
Mishad's picture
Mishad Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 11:04am

go straight inflate lol. No wonder Twiggy is delighted, this rightly puts the focus on courage AND skill to navigate the heavy stuff. Who can forget Twiggy's attempt at Jaws in that contest on that double up monster he rode then came out upside down out of the barrel.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 1:56pm

Lol reverse coffin for twig!

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 11:13am

So what does Twiggy reckon now ?
First he says Enevers wave is a world record, now he agrees with the new ruling that you have to make the 2nd part of the wave

WarriSymbol's picture
WarriSymbol's picture
WarriSymbol Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 11:18am

I guess that was then, this is now.

burleigh's picture
burleigh's picture
burleigh Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 11:15am

great rule change.

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 11:17am

The tribe has spoken.

Roadkill's picture
Roadkill's picture
Roadkill Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 11:54am

Enever's wave would not have counted using this criteria?

aussieguy's picture
aussieguy's picture
aussieguy Friday, 24 Nov 2023 at 9:20am

I guess not under this new criteria. She basically took the drop and straightened out. Didn't attempt a bottom turn. Still an epic wave in my view.

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 11:56am

In the scenario that someone paddles and catches the biggest wave Ever, by far , makes the drop then gets completely exploded , this will not be credited with a win.
Imagine its a 90foot nazare wedge,
Or 90ft pedra branca monster, a close out wave, ie Waimea or the cloudbreak set that caught Healey-make drop, pull in get eaten up.
Something twice the size of anything you've seen paddled.
The drop is absurdly impossible, outta control committed, deep, steep etc,
tail first air drop, for most of the 90ft drop, lands it, gets blown off .

rj-davey's picture
rj-davey's picture
rj-davey Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 1:04pm

good points

tough one to pin down however you look at it

perhaps the big wave adjudicators adopt Justice Potter Stewart's threshold test for a similarly difficult "thing" to define with language or outcome alone (being hardcore pornography in the US Supreme Court case of Jacobellis v Ohio): "I know it when I see it."

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 1:16pm

Yep, I have a feeling this new definition will only identify other gray areas.

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 4:21pm

Yep. Agree 100percent. If you can make it to the bottom of a huge one that's legit in my opinion, as i'm sure it is in the eyes of the person who rode it.

Trentslatterphoto's picture
Trentslatterphoto's picture
Trentslatterphoto Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 5:19pm

Weather it’s 1ft or 1000ft it’s an incomplete ride.

simba's picture
simba's picture
simba Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 12:29pm

yeah i think Laura might have missed out with the new ruling

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 12:58pm

Twiggy did say on facebook in Feb 2015
"We are pushing for a rule change next year for the XXL, whereby unless you complete your ride, it can't count for any category except wipeout. The idea is to start rewarding good surfing rather then the get to the bottom and win the prize mentality. In my opinion, this wave of mine shouldn't count?"

He was referring to this ride of his which was a nominee in the paddle section.

?si=sFegz8x_tPuiT5dS

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 2:01pm

Regardless, that's a big wave !

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 2:55pm

The one that was debatable was the jaws tube ride. This was a different competition, and Twiggy probably wanted to win, that was a throwaway wave he is riding at pico alto, not even close to a winning wave.
Edit : Twiggy said that because Jamie Mitchell had a bigger wave he didn't make,
And Jamie won :
https://www.surfer.com/surfing-magazine-archive/2015-xxl-awards-predictions

"Nic and Jamie’s waves are so big and so scary, but very kamikaze. Especially Jamie’s. Thing was a closeout and he had no chance. This “going no matter what” approach (which we saw a lot this winter) is largely scoffed at in the established big-wave elite, because they’re actually trying to MAKE the wave. Guys like Greg Long, Mark Healey, Shane Dorian and more were all out on that day at Mav’s and caught nothing notable because they were surfing smart"

batfink's picture
batfink's picture
batfink Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 1:41pm

It will be a big win for surfing when the lawyers are given an angle to get involved. This could do it. Big wave challenge decided in court!

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 2:37pm

Don't get confused with "ride of the year"
That's the most prestigious award already.
The biggest wave should be the exactly that and nothing to do with a 10 foot back-door foamball like Nate Florence at Aileen's, which I saw many punters reckoned was a winner. If it isn't the biggest wave awarded then don't call it a biggest wave paddled division perhaps.
And let's not get confused with previous contests,
Like k2 challenge, billabong xxl, Oakley big wave awards.
This is a new event we are discussing and Twiggy quote is a bit old now, he was a past winner of many big wave xxl wins, his point is very valid too.

Personally I would award his failed jaws double up a make, if I was a judge and the contest was for biggest paddle.
I was involved in the Oakley big wave awards and had to judge about 5 events, just because all the competitors did judging duties. It's my opinion that a wave ridden like Enever is ridden good enough for the biggest paddle category. If enever was further on the shoulder and had made it to the channell there would have been criticism about "not being deep enough" right ?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 3:30pm

Yep I'm with you Cam.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 6:00pm

Clam , his name is clam !

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 3:05pm

Jamie Mitchell beats Twiggy in 2015
, maybe thats why Twiggy said that about falling off and non makes, these guys love to compete with each other

https://www.theinertia.com/surf/and-the-winner-is-recapping-the-2015-wsl...

"We all know it. Paddling is where it’s at. This is the heartbeat of it all, and even if it doesn’t get you into the biggest and meanest waves like being sling-shotted in on a tow board does, it certainly takes a bigger pair you-know-whats for those arms to get you over the ledge of a Northern Californian freight train. And Jamie Mitchell had one hell of a day at Mavs to get this award. He took a beating on what was already a choppy ride, then landed in both a paddle nomination and wipeout nomination. Not too shabby on just three hours sleep and waking up at 5:30 am. Mitchell earned this one."

Stephen Allen's picture
Stephen Allen's picture
Stephen Allen Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 3:35pm

... slide out the back with dry hair to retain 'Make' status...

seriously, are these official words of the judging criteria?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 3:44pm

Ha ha...no, that's Bill having some fun with the Instagram post covering the rule change.

bob light's picture
bob light's picture
bob light Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 5:11pm

When a surfer makes to the bottom but gets eaten by the wave the crowd goes OOoooo, when a surfer takes off on a big wave and makes it across an impossible section and flies over edge the crowd goes wild, the crowd knows what big wave surfing is.

surfcarter's picture
surfcarter's picture
surfcarter Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 5:49pm

the skill bit is riding the wave from top to bottom to end not just getting to your feet and taking a drop i see learn to surf peoples doing that every day.
The surfing not just standing is the skill.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 6:04pm

Well ride of the year goes to nathan florence again.......
No one can match Nate.
His visuals p o v. Are insane.
His ride last week in Ireland is unmatchable!

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 6:29pm

Incredible isn’t he.

There’s a wave down here I’d love to see him surf. The guys that are regulars out there surf it really well but to see what he’d do would be amazing.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Wednesday, 22 Nov 2023 at 12:53am

The paddle outs are hectic! )

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023 at 7:50pm

What he’s paddling out at and swinging for in Ireland is proper insane. The end of the vid that shows his go pro camera looking over the ledge at 20’ Mullaghmore is something else :

https://m.

&pp=ygUXbmF0aGFuIGZsb3JlbmNlIGlyZWxhbmQ%3D

Mishad's picture
Mishad's picture
Mishad Thursday, 23 Nov 2023 at 1:46pm

This wave needs to be on the big wave tour or which ever contests the top dogs like Twig and co. Heavy drops, timing, positioning, critical and heavy tube rides. It literally has it all. No more mush burgers! We want carnage or glory!

57's picture
57's picture
57 Wednesday, 22 Nov 2023 at 2:50am

Why not Have That Category of a True Ride: the drop, the turn the BARREL and as stated"complete the final section(s) of the wave unscathed and slide out the back with dry hair to retain 'Make' status... Ok maybe minus the dry hair. lol

bocirl's picture
bocirl's picture
bocirl Wednesday, 22 Nov 2023 at 8:06pm

Imagine the amount of blowback the WSL must have gotten about the Enever debacle to make a change this big.

radiationrules's picture
radiationrules's picture
radiationrules Thursday, 23 Nov 2023 at 12:07pm

2016, Aaron Gold, Peahi - was truly a groundbreaking ride - that was then, this is now?

If they want to introduce science vs. vibe; I'd rather they developed a formula around wave velocity such that a "make" at Peahi always tops a make at Nazare.

Oink's picture
Oink's picture
Oink Friday, 24 Nov 2023 at 8:13am

Laura should've rode it to the beach!

mpeachy's picture
mpeachy's picture
mpeachy Tuesday, 28 Nov 2023 at 11:22am

Sounds like a recipe for debate and confusion, but that may be what they want.

Respect to anyone even in consideration, no idea how they survive that stuff.

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Friday, 1 Dec 2023 at 1:57pm

Experience, positioning, good board, confidence & PFD helps.