The Big Wave Challenge

Gerry Lopez has finally done it. He's merged his dual loves for snowboarding and surfing into one combo event that has my head spinning. The Big Wave Challenge at Mt. Bachelor is a snowboard-only soul-carving super sesh. Reinventing the slopestyle arena under the Pine Marten lift, the Mt. Bachelor park crew will create a series of "huge sweeping banked corners, quarter pipes and spines.. shaped into wave-like features for a flowing course... that brings the surf to the mountain." 

The event is going down April 30th and the judging panel includes Mr. Pipeline himself. Word is that it's going to be judged like a surf big wave event with points awarded for control, speed and power. If you register for the event ($20 bucks), you'll get an hour to practice before it starts. Whoever can ride the mountain most like a wave from both the men's and women's divisions will be walking away with a Gerry Lopez custom surfboard. There's also going to be a luau and live music from Hawaiin singer-songwriter Bill Keale.

Proceeds go to our friends at the Oregon Surfrider Foundation. Here's what Gerry has to say about snowboarding, surfing, frozen waves, the "surf" spots on Mt. Bachelor, and the Big Wave Challenge. "The best guy is the guy having the most fun," says Gerry. 

--Jens