World's best big wave surfers honored at wsl big wave awards

World's best big wave surfers honored at wsl big wave awards

Hawaiian Shane Dorian takes home the Billabong Ride of the Year Award at the 2015 WSL Big Wave Awards.

ANAHEIM, California/USA (Friday, May 1, 2015): The world’s best big wave surfers gathered in Southern California tonight for the 2015 WSL Big Wave Awards. The gala ceremony at the Grove Theater in Anaheim honored the greatest rides of the last year and honored the tenets of the big wave community.

"It was another spectacular year of big wave surfing, all around the globe," said Bill Sharp, Big Wave Award Event Director and Founder. "This year there is a complete assortment of countries where amazing waves were ridden. It might even be the most internationally represented season ever in the 15 years since I started the Big Wave Awards."

This year’s event was highlighted by the official crowning of last season’s WSL Big Wave Tour (BWT) Champion, Hawaiian Makuakai Rothman, who accepted via satellite from South America following his emphatic victory at the Quiksilver Ceremonial Chile this morning at Punta de Lobos. Some 2,000 invited VIPs witnessed the awards ceremony in person and viewers worldwide tunes into the live streaming webcast of the entire proceedings.

2015 WSL Big Wave Awards Winners:

2014/15 ASP Big Wave Tour Champion: Makuakai Rothman (HAW)

Tube of the Year: Matahi Drollet

Photographer: Tim McKenna

Billabong Women's Best Overall Performance: Paige Alms (HAW)

Wipeout of the Year Award: Benjamin Sanchis (FRA)

Videographer: Michael Darrigade

Biggest Paddle: Jamie Mitchell (AUS)

Photographer: Frank Pompermayer

Surfline Best Overall Performance: Shane Dorian (HAW)

XXL Biggest Wave: Sebastian Steudtner (GER)

Photographer: Mike Jones

Billabong Ride of the Year: Shane Dorian (HAW)