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Kings of big wave surfing have been crowned
by George Mojo
14/04/2008:// In what has been dubbed the best year in big wave surfing history, the monster surf hot spots of Chile, Europe, South Africa, Australia, Hawaii, Mexico, California and French Polynesia all served up mind bending rides for the five award categories.
Former world tour surfer Shane Dorian, from Hawaii, scooped top honours in what is regarded the Oscars of big wave surfing by taking out the Ride Of The Year Award.
The 35-year-old manhandled a beast of a wave at Tahiti's treacherous Teahupoo break in November, 2007, to receive the nomination.
Despite coming dangerously close to the wipeout of a lifetime, Dorian held on to make the wave and was awarded the Ride Of The Year over Manoa Drollet, of Tahiti, Brazilian Carlos Burle, Hawaiian Ian Walsh and Michael Brenna, from Australia.
Californian big wave legend Mike Parsons surfed his way into the record books by winning the Billabong Biggest Wave Award.
His ride, judged to be 70ft+ (24m) is officially the biggest wave ever ridden and was tackled at Cortes Bank, located off the Californian coast in January this year.
It was the second time the 43-year-old has won the biggest wave category after taking out the inaugural award in 2001 with a ride at the same break.
Parsons is adamant he will ride a 100ft wave at Cortes Bank in the near future.
Fellow Californian Greg Long featured heavily in the 2008 awards by taking out the Monster Paddle In Award and the Surfline Men's Overall Performance Award.
The defending XXL Big Wave Award winner has been supporting his love for big wave surfing without a major sponsor in 2008 and said the prize money would allow him to chase a few more swells in coming months.
French surfer Manoa Drollet claimed the Monster Tube Award for a death defying barrel ride at his home break of Teahupoo during the November super swell of last year.
After two years of being nominated in the category, the win was sweet victory after finishing second in the top Ride Of The Year Category.
Brazilian Maya Gabeira, from Rio De Janeiro, took back to back titles in the Billabong Girls Best Performance Awards after notching up a collection of giant rides in Tahiti, California, Hawaii and Mexico in the past twelve months.
Gabeira proved without doubt that she is the world's premiere big wave female performer.
Countryman Carlos Burle, who is also Gabeira's tow partner was nominated in the Ride Of The Year category and finished in third position.
The 2008 Beachley Classic got underway this morning, completing Rounds 1 and 2 as well as the opening two heats of Round 3 at nearby Freshwater Beach in clean two-to-three foot (1 metre) waves
Layne Beachley (AUS), 36, has officially announced her retirement from full-time competition, effective at the end of the year
Former Exeter University student Josh Lewin first heat at the Ocean and Earth Pro in the Canary Islands has been delayed because the 2ft surf was deemed uncontestable
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