Big wave chargers honoured
SA’s Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker is crowned world champion
THE world’s top big wave surfers were honoured for the best rides over the past year at the WSL Big Wave Awards ceremony in Huntington Beach, California last weekend.
South Africa’s Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker was officially crowned the 2016/2017 WSL Big Wave World Champion at the function following a season in which he won the first Big Wave Tour (BWT) event in Mexico, finished third at Jaws in Hawaii and reached the semi-finals of the inaugural event staged at Nazare in Portugal.
Baker was also one of the five nominees for the Surfline Men’s Overall Performance Award but that honour went to Jamie Mitchell of Australia, winner of the Nazare Challenge alongside outstanding performances at other big wave breaks around the globe.
The premier Billabong Ride of Year Award, and $75 000 (about R1-million), went to Billy Kemper for an incredible ride on a gigantic wave at Jaws, his home break on Maui, the day before he won the Pe’ahi Challenge for the second successive year at the same spot in November last year.
“This is a dream come true,” said Kemper of his first award after being nominated three times previously. “I was just a kid from Maui, I had nothing at one point. This is all passion. I love to do this and nothing is going to stop me from this. This is for my mom.”
Fellow Maui local Paige Alms clinched the Women’s Best Performance Award to further enhance her status as the foremost female big wave charger after being crowned the first ever WSL Women’s Big Wave World Champion.
“I am honestly in disbelief,” said Alms. “To be among this group of women is just insane. I am super excited to see where they take the tour next year for the women. A huge shoutout to all the women that inspire me to do my best and continue to push the level of women’s surfing and to be a better person, friend and athlete.”
Francisco Porcella won the XXL Biggest Wave Award that goes to the surfer who, by any means available, catches and rides the biggest wave of the year, for a wave measured at 22.4 metres at Nazare.
Other big winners included Shanan Worrall, who earned the Tube of the Year Award for charging through a massive barrel at The Right in Western Australia; Ben Andrews, who secured the Best Paddle Award for his ride at Maverick’s, California, and 18-yearold Wilem Banks took home one of the night’s most anticipated awards for the Wipeout of the Year, also at Maverick’s.
The 2017/2018 WSL Big Wave Tour (BWT) season opened on this week with events at Puerto Escondido in Mexico, Pe’ahi (aka Jaws) on Maui and Nazare in Portugal on the schedule. Former XXL Biggest Wave Award winner Mike Parsons has replaced fellow Californian Peter Mel as the BWT Commissioner.
Results and videos of the Big Wave Awards can be found at http://www.worldsurfleague.com/?hubId=247441