The Gerry Lopez Big Wave Challenge Fundraiser

Come join with us in celebrating the 12th year of the Gerry Lopez Big Wave Challenge!

The BWC was created with the idea of having a snow surfing event to spread the Aloha Spirit and raise some money for worthy causes. Good vibes has always been the driving sentiment for this one-of-a kind event and gathering.

This year, in addition to the event happening at Mt. Bachelor scheduled for 3/23/24, we are adding this online auction as another way to help raise more funds for the event's multi-year beneficiary, Pat Malendoski.

This online auction will conclude on the day of the event just before the awards at 3:30pm PST on March 23rd with most prizes available to pick up after the awards ceremony if present.

Pat, whom you may or may not know, was instrumental in the early BWC events, applying his special terrain-park creation skills into building waves out of snow to produce the unique course that made the event such an exceptional affair.

In 2016, Pat was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma and has been battling this cancerous brain tumor ever since. Naturally, his medical expenses became the worthy cause towards which we could channel love and what little money we were able to garner from entry fees and donations in the past.

Similar to the 2021 event, we are bringing back this virtual live auction featuring some of the best local artists and prizes from the Big Wave Challenge event sponsors!

We want to thank all our sponsors who have supported the event over the past 12 years, all the riders and surfers from around the world who have made the BWC an annual spring pilgrimage to surf snow waves, and especially Pat who helped shape some of the best sets and has been our inspiration in recent years. Keep paddling!
GL