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XXL Version 2.0
Format updates, first round of photos and new website announced for 06/07 Billabong XXL Awards
By:
Mike Cianciulli
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November 8, 2006
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Change is good as long as it's progressive.
So when organizers of the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards announced a slight alteration to the event's crowning focus, the new, all-encompassing Ride of the Year title can be considered a step in the right direction. For those of you who like feet and inches, the Biggest Wave Award is still an important category, but the Ride of the Year forces nominees to demonstrate a higher level of surfing while taking on the planet's largest waves.
Billabong XXL also released the first batch of images up for consideration on their new website BillabongXXL.com thanks to a busy Southern Hemisphere start to the year-long evaluation period. |
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Previous
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"It's been a good year for sure in Australia and Tahiti," said Surfline's Sean Collins, who is also one of the XXL judges. "South Africa was actually better than normal, when you consider that one day [July 30th]." With just under six months remaining, the initial nominees for the Ride of the Year are Manoa Drollet's bomb at Teahupo'o and Alfy Cater, Damon Eastaugh and Damien Warr's ginormous tow session at an Outer Southwest Bommie in Oz (See Alfy's first hand report here). But, of course, more images will be added to the mix as the Northern Hemisphere slowly awakens. San Clemente, California's Greg Long is one of these dual-hemisphere, big wave hunters with photos up for consideration. While Greg's primary mission is to chase down the largest swells on the globe, he got his chance to shine a few days after the Red Bull Big Wave Africa event wrapped up at Dungeons, South Africa. One of Greg's waves was captured on film and he's listed among the first batch of hopefuls for the XXL Biggest Wave Award. "A squall came and everyone started to leave and just as that happened a flurry of sets came in," remembers Greg. "But you could tell there was something special about the one set we got. To have a wave that is being considered is a huge personal accomplishment. It's really gratifying for me and Twiggy [Tow partner Grant "Twiggy" Baker, who also has a few photos in the running]." Although, both surfers are solely being considered for the Biggest Wave Award because video documentation is required for the Ride of the Year Award. The precise criteria for this new category -- in which the surfer nets $50,000 and the videographer $5000 -- reads, "The Billabong XXL Ride of the Year Award will be won by the individual surfer who -- based on review of available video images by a panel of experts -- demonstrates the most advanced and committed level of big wave surfing performance during a single successful ride during the annual event period." "What's really changed is the performance. Instead of just riding big waves, guys are ripping them."
-- Event organizer, Bill Sharp
That said, the XXL Biggest Wave Awards (with watercraft tow-ins allowed) as well as the Monster Paddle Award (arm-power only) both equal out at a cool $15,000 to the respective winners. These tallest wave awards will still be judged by a small group of measuring experts while the Ride of the Year will be judged by a growing "academy" of leaders who guide the sport as it moves forward (qualified surfers, photographers, and journalists). "What's really changed is the performance," noted event organizer Bill Sharp. "Instead of just riding big waves, guys are ripping them." The official period to submit entries wraps up with the Spring Equinox on March 22nd, 2007 so there's still plenty of time for the Northern Hemi guns to get theirs. Our own Sean Collins reinforces this. "This Winter season could be better than last year. A mild El Nino influence will lend towards a bigger wave pattern for fall," said Collins. "I suspect December will be a good month for big surf with El Nino supercharging some storms." And trust us, there's a host of guys watching the Surfline charts daily, just frothing to get their shot at some of the action. 2006/07 BILLABONG XXL GLOBAL BIG WAVE AWARDS CATEGORY SUMMARY Billabong XXL Ride of the Year Award (Greatest big wave performance on a single wave as captured on video and voted by large judging academy) Surfer Prize: $50,000 Four Runner-up nominees Award: $1500 Videographer Prize: $5000 Billabong XXL Biggest Wave Award (Biggest tow-in wave ridden based on available images showing maximum face height) Surfer Prize: $15,000 Photo prize: $4000 Monster Paddle Award (Biggest paddle-in wave ridden based on available images showing maximum face height) Surfer Prize: $15,000 Photo prize: $4000 Monster Tube Award (Best big-wave tube based on votes of large judging academy) Surfer Prize: $5000 Photo Prize: $2000 Surfline Men's Best Overall Performance Award (Best year-long big wave performance at a variety of spots as voted by large judging academy) Surfer Prize: $5000 Billabong Girl's Best Overall Performance Award (Best year-long big wave performance at a variety of spots as voted by large judging academy) Surfer Prize: $5000 MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |
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