New Women’s Big-Wave Video Contest Will Crown the Top Female Big-Wave Surfers of the 2020-2021 Hawaiian Winter Season
Red Bull Magnitude, a women’s big-wave video contest, will take place across the Hawaiian Islands from December 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021. The inaugural event will put the top waterwomen to the test and exemplify what it means to be a big-wave charger.
The three-month contest is happening at iconic breaks across Hawaii such as Jaws on Maui, Waimea Bay, and the outer reefs of Oahu’s North Shore. Film crews are on-hand capturing the action when the surf shows a sustained 15-foot Hawaiian wave height. Competitors will have the option to work with their own film crew at any Hawaiian break so long that the waves captured meet the noted criteria.
There are young girls charging right now who have a tremendous opportunity to win this event.
Betty Depolito
“This event format gives a new level of opportunity to both established big-wave surfers and the up-and-comers of the sport,” said Paige Alms. “Without the time constraints of a traditional in-person event, it puts a new emphasis on local knowledge and gives us three months to pick our days and ride the best waves at the best times. With film crews provided for us, it removes the stress of coordinating with shooters and allows us to focus on our surfing.”
There will be $40,000 in prize purse on the line with the “Overall Performance” winner set to receive $25,000. This award will be given to the surfer who showcases the most consistent and progressive big-wave rides over the course of the season. The “Runner Up,” “Best Ride,” and “Biggest Wave” category will each hold a $5,000 award.
An esteemed panel of judges will determine the winners and are the following:
– Rochelle Ballard: Three-time Surfer Poll winner
– Betty DePolito: First woman in history to surf Pipeline
– Kai Lenny: Reigning “Overall Performance” winner of the Red Bull Big Wave Awards
– Mark Healey: Winner of multiple big-wave related awards
“Creating a decentralized contest truly allows a new level of opportunity to all who enter the contest,” said contest judge Betty Depolito. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the most well-known big-wave surfer or a local ripper that not many people have heard about – you have the same chance to take home $25,000 and make a name for yourself.”
Judges will convene from March 1-15, 2021 to select category winners, culminating in an awards ceremony on March 15. Additionally, the “People’s Choice” award presented by Yeti, will open to public vote at redbull.com/magnitude during this time. All awards will be announced on March 16, 2021.
COMPETITOR LIST
Makani Adric
Paige Alms
Wrenna Delgado
Justine Dupont
Emily Erickson
Michaela Fregonese
Izzi Gomez
Brittany Gomulka
Raquel Heckert
Keala Kennelly
Sheila Lee
Isabelle Leonhardt
Skylar Lickle
Siri Masterson
Silvia Nabuco
Remi Nealon
Kelta O’Rourke
Polly Ralda
Annie Reickart
Momo Sakuma
Kiyomi Sheppard
Jennifer Useldinger
Kaya Waldman
Moana Jones
This is a new kind of contest, and one that I think is uniquely positioned to highlight the best up-and-comers in the world of surfing. The reality is that limitations around traditional big-wave contests don’t really allow them to show who might be surfing at the highest level for an entire season–rather, they only showcase one moment in time–and they make it hard for newcomers to get noticed. This opens all that up and changes the game.
Makani Adric
For the latest information about Red Bull Magnitude, please visit redbull.com/magnitude.
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