Tow-In Session presented by Billabong and Monster

Ready and waiting for the massive swell in Irland

Mullaghmore, IRELAND (Wednesday 2nd November 2011): The second Tow-in Surf Session presented by Billabong and Monster is to be held this European winter at the famous big wave spot of Mullaghmore Head on Ireland’s west coast. The invitational only contest’s waiting period has officially started and runs until March 1st 2012, with the organisers from the Irish Surf Rescue Club (ISRC) needing waves at least 20 feet high to run the one day event.

Last year’s inaugural Tow-In Surf Session witnessed epic conditions, with waves in the 25 feet range. Billabong team riders Benjamin Sanchis (pictured above) and Éric Rebière won the Open Teams division, the French surfers successfully negotiating some of the heaviest waves ever seen in European surfing competition history. Sanchis, the 2011 Billabong XXL biggest wave award winner, will be back to defend his crown, joining a select invitee list of local and international big- wave specialists.

“I’ve been preparing for this event by tow surfing massive swells in Teahupoo in Tahiti, which is regarded as the most dangerous location in the surfing world,” said Sanchis. “Mullaghmore is a spectacular wave, but you really need to be prepared to surf big waves there.”

Sanchis and his fellow invitees will be hoping for waves as big and perfect as last year. “With last year’s conditions we drew a line in the sand,” said event organiser and local big wave rider Paul O’Kane from the ISRC. “We won’t run the event unless the conditions are at least as big and clean as that, and ideally even bigger. With only one day needed to complete the contest, I’m confident we’ll see some truly epic big wave surfing.”

Ben Freeston from surf webcasting site www.magicseaweed.com is also confident of Mullaghmore delivering the goods. “The North Atlantic in winter is the most prolific surf generating ocean on Earth and Ireland is prime placed to see the brunt of every storm. After analysing over a decade of data we know Mullaghmore averages over six swells in a winter in the 20ft+ face range. You never can be sure, but everything is primed for an historic event.”