Os melhores surfistas do mundo de ondas grandes celebraram a passada noite em Huntington Beach, Califórnia, os World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave Awards. Esta gala atribuiu os prémios às melhores performances em ondas grandes, durante o ano de 2016.

Este ano houve uma premiação de $350,000 para todas as sete categorias. Desde descidas de ondas gigantes, passando por tubos aparentemente impossíveis, quedas espectaculares (para o publico) e quase fatais,etc. Entre as sete categorias existentes este ano houve uma que premiou a maior onda surfada, o XXL Biggest Wave Award. O vencedor foi o Italiano Francisco Porcella que conquistou assim um dos principais prémios da noite, e numa onda Portuguesa.

XXL17_Winner_Porcella_Nazare from Surftotal TV on Vimeo.

A lista final de nomeações foi: 

BILLABONG RIDE OF THE YEAR AWARD

(Surfer prizes total $125,000  -  Videographer prizes total $13,000)

- Ben Andrews (Morro Bay, California, USA) at Maverick’s, California on November 9, 2016.

- Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal on December 22, 2016.

- Billy Kemper (Haiku, Hawaii, USA) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 11, 2016.

- Jamie Mitchell (Currumbin, Queensland, Australia) at Puerto Escondido, Mexico on June 24, 2016.

- Francisco Porcella (Sardegna, Italy) at Nazaré, Portugal on February 28, 2017.

PADDLE AWARD

(Surfer prize $30,000 - Photographer prize $5,000)

- Ben Andrews (Morro Bay, California, USA) at Maverick’s, California on November 9, 2016.

- Trevor Sven Carlson (Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA) at Nazaré, Portugal on December 17, 2016.

- Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal on December 22, 2016.

- Christopher Mashburn (San Diego, California, USA) at Maverick’s, California on January 26, 2017.

- Jamie Mitchell (Currumbin, Queensland, Australia) at Nazaré, Portugal on December 20, 2016.

TAG HEUER XXL BIGGEST WAVE AWARD

(Surfer prize $25,000 - Photographer prize $5,000)

- Trevor Sven Carlson (Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA) at Nazaré, Portugal on December 23, 2016.

- Kai Lenny (Paia, Hawaii, USA) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 8, 2016.

- Francisco Porcella (Sardegna, Italy) at Nazaré, Portugal on October 24, 2016.

- Sebastian Steudtner (Nuremberg, Germany) at Nazaré, Portugal on October 24, 2016.

- Hugo Vau (Terceira, Azores, Portugal) at Nazaré, Portugal on October 24, 2016.

SURFLINE MEN’S BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE AWARD

(First prize $20,000, $53,500 total)

- Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) 

- Pedro Calado (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 

- Trevor Sven Carlson (Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA)

- Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

- Billy Kemper (Haiku, Hawaii, USA)

- Nic Lamb (Santa Cruz, California, USA)

- Kai Lenny (Haiku, Hawaii, USA)

- Greg Long (San Clemente, California, USA) 

- Jamie Mitchell (Currumbin, Queensland, Australia)

- Francisco Porcella (Sardegna, Italy)

WOMEN’S BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD

(First prize $15,000, $32,500 total)

- Paige Alms (Haiku, Hawaii, USA)

- Justine Dupont (Lacanau, France)

- Keala Kennelly (Hanalei, Hawaii, USA) 

- Nicole Pacelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

- Bianca Valenti (Mill Valley, California, USA)

TUBE OF THE YEAR AWARD

(Surfer prize $10,000 - Still photography prize $5,000)

- Dane Gudauskas (San Clemente, California, USA) at Cloudbreak, Fiji on May 23, 2016.

- Conor Maguire (Bundoran, Ireland) at Mullaghmore Head, Ireland on March 15, 2017.

- Bradley Norris (Perth, W.A. Australia) at The Right, Western Australia on May 16, 2016.

- Dan Ryan (Margaret River, W.A. Australia) at The Right, Western Australia on May 16, 2016.

- Shanan Worrall (Margaret River, W.A. Australia) at The Right, Western Australia on May 16, 2016.

TAG HEUER WIPEOUT OF THE YEAR AWARD

(Surfer prize $5,000  -  Videographer prize $2,000)

- Wilem Banks (Santa Cruz, California, USA) at Maverick’s, California  on January 26, 2017.

- Nathan Florence (Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA) at Maverick’s, California  on January 26, 2017.

- Danny Griffiths (Hobart, Tasmania, Australia) at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on June 16, 2016.

- Tom Lowe (St. Ives, Cornwall, United Kingdom) at Nazaré, Portugal on October 24, 2016.

- Rafael Tapia (Santiago, Chile) at Nazaré, Portugal on October 24, 2016.

LISTAGEM DOS WSL BIG WAVE AWARD WINNERS (2017):

Billabong Ride of the Year: Billy Kemper
Videographer: Etienne Aurelius

Paddle Award: Ben Andrews
Photographer: Fred Pompermayer

TAG Heuer XXL Biggest Wave Award: Francisco Porcella
Photographer: Bruno Aleixo

Tube of the Year Award: Shanan Worrall
Photographer: Jamie Scott

TAG Heuer Wipeout of the Year Award: Wilem Banks
Videographer: Curt Myers

Surfline Men’s Overall Performance Award: Jamie Mitchell

Women’s Best Overall Performance Award: Paige Alms

2016/2017 WSL Men’s BWT Champion: Grant Baker
2016/2017 WSL Big Wave Women’s Champion: Paige Alms

Vê alguns dos melhores vídeos do ano AQUI.