Focus back on big waves in Cape
  Town - 31/5/other

Just in: Event on HOLD >>

After five days filled with board breaking barrels, wave rich surfaris up both the East and West coasts, surfing escapades and   plenty of socialising, partying and   amusement park visits, the 16 competitors in Red Bull Big Wave Africa refocused their attention on giant surf when the event was put on standby for a possible start on Friday morning.

Waves predicted to reach five to seven   metres (surf - 22 feet) in height are  expected to arrive behind the gale-forc North West winds currently buffeting the Cape Peninsula. With the wind forecast to   drop to a manageable 10 - 12 knots (wake -  22 Kmh) during the day, the organisers of the continent's most extreme surfing event will make a call at 8am tomorrow on whether to give the contest the green light.

"Although the internet wave prediction models indicate two more swells exceeding five metres in height arriving before the waiting period for the event ends on June10, we have a saying here in Cape Town that "you've got to hit it when you see it",  says contest coordinator Paul Botha, a 37 year veteran of the Cape Town surf scene.

 "With the wind due to back off during the day, conditions could be epic for the contest and the guys are amped to get out and surf Dungeons," Botha added on the decision to put the event on amber status, alerting the competitors, officials, water safety crews, service providers, media and all interested parties to the possibility of the event running on Friday.

 While Jason Ribbink, third in BWA 2000, and alternate Brad Bricknell will be arriving this evening from Durban and Jeffreys Bay respectively, the rest of the competitors are already in Cape Town, ready to take on anything the Atlantic Ocean can produce.

The international contingent of Mike Parsons, Brad Gerlach and Grant Washburn from California, and Hawaiian Jamie Sterling, are staying in Kommetjie along with Reunion's Davy Stolk and Durbanites   Rudy Palmboom, John Whittle and Richie   Sills
.
Defending BWA champion Sean Holmes is
studying at UCT while Ian Armstrong,
Mickey Duffus, Cass Collier, Justin Strong and the Bertish brothers, Chris and Conn, are all Capetonians.

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