The Red Eléctrica Punta Galea Big Wave Challenge, Europe’s longest-running big-wave championship, returns to Getxo.

The Red Eléctrica Punta Galea Big Wave Challenge returns to the coast of Biscay, having established itself as the continent’s longest-running big-wave competition and the event with the most editions held worldwide. Organised by the Getxo City Council in partnership with Red Eléctrica and the local surfing community, the event brings together 30 of the world’s best big-wave surfers in both the men’s and women’s categories, with €30,000in prize money awarded on a strictly equal basis between men and women.

Extended waiting period in the search for perfect waves

The main technical change in this edition is the extension of the waiting period to a full six months: from 1 November to 30 April. As the competition director, Adrián Fernández de Valderrama, explained at a press conference, this timeframe “broadens the possibilities in the pursuit of excellence”. 

The technical team will analyse the tide, current and wind charts in detail with the aim of securing perfect conditions: clean, well-formed and consistent waves around six metres high. In line with the sport’s standard protocol, the final go-ahead for the competition will be given just 48 hours in advance. When the day arrives, eight hours of non-stop extreme action are expected in the iconic natural amphitheatre formed by the cliffs overlooking the sea, where last year’s event attracted around 20,000 fans.

A star-studded line-up: established stars, promising young athletes and local talent

The competition line-up will consist of 24 men and 6 women, divided equally between top surfers in the international scene and local surfers.

In the women’s category, the highlight is the debut of Sol Borelli, a young surfer from Lanzarote now based on the Basque coast and the newly crowned Under-18 world champion, who highlighted the “great atmosphere and the warm welcome from the local surfers” during the presentation. She will be up against established names in the sport, such as the Chilean Dominique Charrier, who once again returns to the Getxo waves.

In the men’s category, some of the event’s legendary figures have already confirmed their attendance: the three-time world champion from South Africa, Grant “Twiggy” Baker, and the Californian Nic Lamb, a two-time winner in Getxo. Joining them will be Natxo González from Biscay, for whom La Galea “has been both a starting point and a springboard”, describing it as a competition that is “very special and exciting for both athletes and fans”.

Commitment to the local environment and institutional support

uring the launch event, the Mayor of Getxo, Amaia Agirre, highlighted the scenic beauty of the location, “a unique natural amphitheatre that offers the chance to enjoy the show from the front row”.

For his part, Antonio González, Red Eléctrica’s representative in the Basque Country, highlighted the global significance of the event: “It has a major international profile. It is a championship that embodies values we share, such as hard work, adaptability and respect for the environment, and which enables us to help promote such a unique event and, in particular, to uphold our commitment to women’s sport.”

The event is primarily sponsored by Red Eléctrica and the Getxo City Council, with support from the Provincial Council of Biscay, Laboral Kutxa, the EITB group as media partner, the Basque and Biscayan surfing federations, and brands with deep roots in the local surfing community such as Styling and Fangaloka.

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