The official holding period for the WSL Big Wave competitions will run through March 31, 2022.

This year's big wave season will feature the Quiksilver Jaws Big Wave Challenge and Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge, where each will showcase the best of big wave surfing in the paddle and tow-in disciplines, respectively.

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The Quiksilver Jaws Big Wave Challenge, which Ulladulla High School alumnus Bierke will compete in, will feature paddle-in surfing in an individual competition format.

In the men's division, 24 competitors are divided into four heats of six surfers for the first round.

Heats are generally 45 minutes and surfers may catch as many waves as they wish with a panel of five judges scoring each ride on a scale of one to 10.

Each competitor's two best waves are counted, with their best wave score doubled.

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The three highest-scoring surfers advance to the semi-finals, which run in the same format, and the top three surfers from the semi-finals advance to the decider.

The women's division runs in a similar format with 12 competitors participating in two six-surfer semi-finals with the top three surfers in each heat advancing to the final.

Competing against Bierke, who took out the 2021 Surfing Australia Heavy Water Award, will be Hawaii's Billy Kemper, Ian Walsh, Nathan Florence, Kai Lenny, Makua Rothman, Eli Olson, Torrey Meister, Koa Rothman, Albee Layer, Tyler Larronde, Ty Simpson Kane, Trevor Carlson and Aaron Gold, United States' Nic Lamb, Jojo Roper and Greg Long, South Africa's Grant Baker and Matt Bromley, Brazil's Lucas Chianca, Portugal's Nic Von Rupp, Italy's Francisco Porcella, Great Britain's Tom Lowe and fellow Australian Jamie Mitchell.

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