Surf’s up for a swell time at Shippies with Red Bull Cape Fear contest

It’s been a long six-month wait but surf conditions for the Red Bull Cape Fear contest next week are predicted to be swell.

IT’S game on. It’s been a long six-month wait but surf conditions for the Red Bull Cape Fear contest next week are predicted to be swell.

Local big-wave surf rider Zebulon Critchlow said the competitors are all pretty excited.

“This forecast looks pretty special,” he said.

“There’ll be 10 to 20 foot [3-6 metres] faces. In surface terms probably 12 to 15 foot sets, maybe bigger depending on how you catch the waves.

“It’s going to be some pretty epic conditions, I’d say.”

The 39-year-old Acton Park resident is waxing up for what is set to be another death-defying chapter in his impressive surfing career – taking on the giant waves at Shipstern Bluff off the Tasman Peninsula for Monday’s contest.

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Big wave surfer Zebulon Critchlow. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

The notorious surfing slab has been called the world’s most unpredictable wave by surfing giant Kelly Slater.

“This is the pointy end of our second waiting period. It’s been a long time coming and now we have the most dreamy forecast,” said Critchlow.

Monday’s arrival of a large low-pressure system from the south coupled with a high-pressure system from the north will create a big southerly swell that will groom the monster off-shore waves needed for the invitation-only competition.

Three-time world champion Mick Fanning heads the list of 20 competitors made up of

10 international slab surfing big wave specialists and 10 local Shipstern Bluff specialists.

The Red Bull Cape Fear live competition is an online only event, broadcast free on the Red Bull TV app and at www.redbull.com.au

The area will be cordoned off to visitors to protect the area’s fragile dunes.

“Out of respect for the environment and the impact that the event could have on the environment there will be no spectators,” Mr Critchlow said.

“It’s too fragile at Shippies. We don’t want to leave a footprint.

“You want to watch it live, see all the banter, see all the interviews, see the replays and get interactive with the event – head online.”

The 10 Tasmanians nominated are Daniel Griffiths, Shaun Wallbank, James Hollmer-Cross, Tyler Hollmer-Cross, Marti Paradisis, Michael Brennan, James McKean, Brook Phillips, Alex Zadawadzki and Critchlow.

Organisers estimate more than six million spectators will watch the live stream of the event on Red Bull TV, which has about 52 million subscribers.

The one-day only line-up includes the 2016 Australian Cape Fear winner Russell Bierke, recently retired Aussie legend Fanning and Hawaiian chargers Jamie O’Brien and Nathan Florence.

The annual event has been running at Cape Solander in Sydney since 2014 but did not run in 2015 or 2017 because of unfavourable weather conditions.