The season-long, content-driven surfing contest kicked off with an official Opening Ceremony and Blessing at Waimea Bay Beach Park on Saturday, December 3
HONOLULU, HI – (December 6, 2022) – The revolutionary big-wave surfing contest, Red Bull Magnitude, is officially underway, with the Opening Ceremony and Blessing held this Saturday, December 3, at Waimea Bay Beach Park. Presented in collaboration with Surfline, Red Bull Magnitude will run from December 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, a three-month swell period to ensure competitors are able to catch their best waves of the season and get a chance to win in five different categories for a total of $50,000 in purse prizes.
On Saturday, this year’s competitors gathered for a blessing to welcome the new season and uplift one another. Participants are from all over the world, including the USA – mainland and Hawaii, Brazil, Switzerland and Australia.
“I’m so excited to be here for the opening ceremony and blessing of Red Bull Magnitude. It’s such a cool opportunity for this group of women to come together and pay tribute to the places we’re going to be surfing all winter,” says Red Bull athlete and returning Red Bull Magnitude competitor, Izzi Gomez.
Designed as a re-imagining of traditional surf contests, Red Bull Magnitude, a unique content-driven format, spans an entire season and features some of the top female big-wave surfers in the world. Thus far, 23 participants are registered for the event, including Red Bull Magnitude 2021/22 overall winner, Skylar Lickle; Yeti Best Ride recipient Paige Alms; Best Tow award winner Annie Reickert; and Rookie of the Year recipient, Katie McConnell. Izzi Gomez, Laura Enever, Michaela Fregonese, Felicity Palmateer and Emi Erickson are also among the individuals set to compete in this year’s event. The registration period remains open until February 28, 2023, the end of the holding period.
“Red Bull Magnitude is one of a kind because you get the whole winter season instead of just one day,” says competitor Kelta O’Rourke. “And it really allows for everyone to perform to the best of their ability because they get multiple chances to get the biggest wave and best ride.”
While competitors make the ultimate decision on where to surf, swell forecasts must show a sustained, 15-foot+ Hawaiian (30-ft regular) wave height to produce eligible entries. Red Bull film crews will be provided at all the priority big-wave breaks, including Jaws, Waimea Bay and Oahu Outer Reefs, on days when there is a Surfline surf forecast showing the minimum wave height requirements. Any waves caught at these locations and determined at or over the required wave height can be submitted for judging and are available to view on the Red Bull Magnitude event website hub: www.redbull.com/magnitude.
Surfing veteran Rochelle Ballard will serve as the Competition Director and Head Judge for Red Bull Magnitude for the 2022-2023 season. Big wave phenoms Ian Walsh, Kai Lenny as well as surfing pioneers Andrea Moller and Megan Abubo make up the rest of the judging panel. Judges will score a maximum of three waves per contestant over the course of the competition window. Competitors will have complete autonomy over which waves are submitted for final judging.
The Overall Champion Award carries a $20,000 purse and will be given to the surfer with the highest cumulative score. Each ride will be scored from 0-10. Scoring is determined using the following criteria: size of the wave; degree of difficulty; criticalness of the drop; performance; technique; style and completion of the ride.
In addition to determining the ‘Overall Winner’; the judges panel will convene in March, 2023, to determine three additional awards: Best Ride (Paddle only), Best Tow and Breakthrough Performer. All other awards carry their respective purse prizes. A fifth award, the People’s Choice Award, will be voted on by fans online at redbull.com/magnitude and will carry a special non-cash prize. Voting will open on March 1, 2023, following the contest window.
All awards will be announced during a closing ceremony early in March at a date to be later announced.
Media looking for additional information can visit redbull.com/magnitude, while all event content can be viewed at www.redbullcontentpool.com.