Californian Greg Long has been crowned 2015/16 Big Wave World Tour champion. The 33-year old San Clemente local secured the title after third-place finish at the Pe’ahi Challenge in December and a second-place finish at the Todos Santos Challenge in January. Long is a well-respected veteran of the big-wave community having won the Eddie in 2009 and won the same award in 2012 – the same year of his near drowning at Cortes bank.
“The 2015/2016 winter season has been one for the record books,” Long told the WSL. “There’s been record-breaking waves, more big swells, bigger barrels — basically every single level of performance in big-wave surfing has just been shattered this year. For me, it is always an honor to be a part of that. It is a tremendous feeling being crowned the 2015/2016 WSL Big Wave World Tour Champion.”
“Long finished the season with 21,266 points on the year-end rankings, edging out this last year’s BWT Champion, Makuakai Rothman, by 7,272 points. Billy Kemper (HAW), winner of the Peah’i Challenge, came in third place with a total of 16,714 points.”
“To see Greg Long win another Big Wave Tour title is amazing,” said WSL BWT Commissioner Peter Mel. “I was there at Cortes Bank when he experienced his near drowning. He could have easily stepped away from big wave riding at that time. To see him dedicate himself and overcome any negativity from the accident is an inspiration. Congratulations Greg.”
