Get ready for the cold waters of Lincoln City, Oregon. The live television broadcast of the Dive N’ Surf Oregon Pro will bring all the big wave action to you at home via Universal Sports Network, with a live webcast streaming on TheSurfChannel.com. The Xpreshon Big Wave World Tour has given the official green light for the event Wednesday, March 12th. As the day approaches, event directors will keep checking the latest run of swell models to confirm great conditions in 30-foot-plus surf.
The world’s most experienced watermen, such as defending champion Jamie Sterling (HAW), current Xpreshon Big Wave World Tour champion Greg Long (USA), 2010 Nelscott Reef champion Kohl Christensen (HAW) and BWWT No. 1 ranked Grant “Twiggy” Baker (ZAF) will be in the lineup of big wave elite.
A historic first-ever Women’s Super Heat will also welcome 11 ladies ready to charge massive surf as invitees on the Xpreshon Big Wave World Tour in their own division with hopefully many more events to come in the future. Female surfers include: Billabong XXL Award winner Keala Kennelly (HAW), Jaws charger Paige Alms (HAW), Mavericks locals Savannah Shaughnessy (USA) and Jamilah Star (USA). Full competitor list below.
“We are thrilled with the opportunity to showcase for the very first time the world’s top female athletes as they battle Nelscott Reef and each other for the Women’s Super Heat Title,” said Xpreshon founder Christian Spadnardi. This is the first time in history that the world will watch the top female big wave athletes compete in big waves via a live HD webcast and highlights to be aired nationally on television by Universal Sports Network.
Jamie Sterling (HAW) will defend his 2012 victory at Nelscott Reef. Photo: BWWT/ Brian Overfelt
The Xpreshon Big Wave World Tour is pleased to announce that Dive N’ Surf has come on board as title sponsor for the Dive N’ Surf Oregon Pro, formerly known as the Seatka Pro Oregon. This one-day event will take place at Nelscott Reef and is one of the Pacific Northwest’s hidden gems. It is located a half-mile out to sea in Lincoln City, Oregon, just up the beach from Spanish Head. The wave is a high-performance big wave, which breaks both right and left but predominantly rights when it’s really big.
The waves at Nelscott Reef (also known as Tacklebuster Reef) are rideable up to 50-foot and beyond. Add regular rainfall and chilly land and sea temperatures to the equation, and you have a truly rugged big wave spot. Water temperatures from October to March range between 47-53 F (6-12 C), while the average daytime air temperatures range between 55-61 F (13-16 C).
Twenty of the world’s highest ranked big wave surfers will challenge four local surfers on one of the most formidable waves in the Pacific Northwest on 48 to 72 hours notice when waves reach a minimum of 30-foot faces with clean ocean surface conditions. The 2013 Dive ‘N Surf Oregon Pro is proud to host the top seeds from the Xpreshon Big Wave World Tour and welcome the four regional/local surfers.
Greg Long (USA) staring straight down the face of an Oregon giant. Photo: BWWT/ Brian Overfelt
“We couldn’t be happier about Dive N’ Surf coming on board as title sponsor for this year’s Oregon big wave event. It shows Dive N’ Surf’s commitment to professional big wave surfing,” said Dive N’ Surf Oregon Pro Contest Organizer, Adam Wagner.
“Dive N’ Surf Original Lifestyle has aligned itself with the Xpreshon Big Wave World Tour to be the title sponsor for both the Oregon Pro and the Todos Santos Big Wave events! This is to celebrate the waterman lifestyle that Bob and Bill Meistrell built their lives around as young lifeguards, surfers and divers. The clothing is designed to be simpler, understated but built tough to perform while holding true to its roots established in 1953,” said Robbie Meistrell, CEO of Dive N Surf Inc.
“I’m stoked to have won. I love the wave… That’s why I’m here,” said Jamie Sterling after his 2013 victory in Oregon. Photo: BWWT
Dive N’ Surf Oregon Competitors (subject to change):
INVITED SURFERS
1 Greg Long, USA
2 Jamie Sterling, HAW
3 Peter Mel, USA
4 Carlos Burle, BRA
5 Ken Collins, USA
6 Gabriel Villaran, PERU
7 Zach Wormhoudt, USA
8 Ben Wilkinson, AUS
9 Joao de Macedo, POR
10 Ramon Navarro, CHILE
11 Jeff Rowley, AUS
12 Alex Martins, BRA
13 Mark Healey, HAW
14 Kohl Christensen, HAW
15 Shawn Dollar, USA
16 Grant Baker, SA
17 Alex Gray, USA
18 Nic Lamb, USA
19 Aaron Ungerleider, HAW
20 Jose Gomez, PERU
21 Keith Galbraith, USA
22 Tony Perez, USA
23 Jeremy Rasmussen, USA
24 George Desoto, USA
XBWWT ALTERNATES
1 Marcos Monteiro, BRA
2 Will Skudin, USA
3 Frank Solomon, SA
4 Grant Washburn, USA
5 Chad Jackson, USA
6 Nathan Fletcher, USA
7 Ryan Augenstein, USA
8 Jamie Mitchell, AUS
9 Anthony Tashnick, USA
10 Travis Payne, USA
11 Colin Dwyer, USA
WOMEN’S SUPER HEAT INVITEES
Keala Kennelly, HAW
Mercedes Maidana, ARG
Wrenna Delgado, USA
Savannah Shaughnessy, USA
Paige Alms, HAW
Jamilah Star, USA
Bianca Vallenti, USA
Andrea Moller, BRA
For contest updates and detailed event information, please visit: DiveNSurfOregonPro.com
