OUR STORY
In loving memory of Sion Milosky.
In 2011, motivated by the tragic loss of fellow big-wave surfer Sion Milosky, Danilo Couto and Kohl Christensen assembled a small group of surfers in the barn at Christensen’s farm. Their goal was to address the lack of risk management that was evident in big-wave lineups around the world, and to complete a standard CPR course to bring themselves up to speed.
From this gathering, the big-wave safety movement was born and summits have been held every December since this first date, to an ever-growing number of big-wave surfers from around the world. Summits have evolved into comprehensive trainings in high-surf risk management, including case scenario analysis, apnea training, safety product showcases, CPR/AED training and open-ocean first-responder training.
In 2014, the members formally assembled as the Big Wave Risk Assessment Group (BWRAG). Today, led by Couto, Christensen, Brian Keaulana, and Pat Chong Tim, and with global ambassadors like Greg Long, Gabriel Villaran, and Ramon Navarro, BWRAG is expanding its curriculum to reach surfers all over the world, and to serve not only big-wave surfers but all surfers who are pushing their own relative “big-wave” levels.
“We are not divided by land, we are connected by water.”
— Brian Keaulana