The 2024 SURFER Big Wave Challenge Nominees Are Here
By Bill Sharp,
26 days ago
The nominees for the 2024 SURFER Big Wave Challenge have been announced and once again the top performers in an assortment of categories will be heading to Nazaré, Portugal for a gala awards ceremony on October 19. The nominated athletes and photographers will vie for over $160,000 in prize money and coveted statuettes in the 24th year of the competition, regarded as the “Oscars of Big Wave Surfing.”
Receiving nods in the Men’s Ride of the Year category are Australian Soli Bailey (for an astonishingly long tube in Fiji), alongside Hawaiians Nathan Florence and Albee Layer who bagged big barrels in Ireland and Maui respectively. In the Women’s ROTY. Laura Enever has snagged two nominations for thick tow-in slabs in Tahiti and Tasmania and will face off against California’s Bianca Valenti and her skillful navigation of a Mexican Pipeline cavern.
In the Biggest Wave category (where jet ski assists are allowed) Brazil’s Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca leads the field with a pair of waves on different days at Nazaré, Portugal. Chianca will be up against Steve Roberson , who, at just 15 years of age, scored the wave of the year at his home break of Jaws on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. On the female side, three waves at Nazaré are in contention, ridden by Portugal’s Joane Andrade, Brazil’s Michelle des Bouillons , and Laura Lou Crane of the United Kingdom.
Laura Enever, Teahupo'o.
Tim Bonython
In the Men’s Paddle category for the biggest wave caught by arm power alone, South Africa’s Grant “Twiggy” Baker is nominated for a big blue wall at the Dungeons break off Cape Town. and is up against San Diego’s Jojo Roper and Santa Cruz surfer Alo Slebir who snagged two of the biggest drops of the year to be had at the legendary Mavericks surf spot in Northern California. The women’s paddle contenders include Domi Charrier at Punta de Lobos, Chile, Corrie Gray at Waimea Bay, Hawaii and Katie McConnell at Todos Santos, Mexico.
The challengers in the fan-favorite Aquamar Wipeout of the Year division include Kipp Caddy at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania versus Trevor Carlson and Bianca Valenti (who both met their misfortunes at Mavericks).
The nominees were selected by a blue-ribbon panel of top surfers and photographers overseen by head judge Greg Long . Another round of voting will determine the winners to be revealed on October 19. The awards ceremony will be streamed live on Surfer.com.
MEN'S RIDE OF THE YEAR Soli Bailey at Cloudbreak, Fiji, on March 7, 2024. Video by Tucker Wooding. Nathan Florence at Mullaghmore Head, Ireland on November 9, 2023. Video by Clem McInerney. Albee Layer at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on October 18, 2024. Video by Tucker Wooding.
WOMEN'S RIDE OF THE YEAR Laura Enever at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on April 6, 2024. Video by Tim Bonython. Laura Enever at Teahupoo Tahiti on June 6, 2024. Video by Tim Bonython. Bianca Valenti at Puerto Escondido, Mexico on June 8, 2024. Video by Casalunalu.
MEN'S BIGGEST WAVE Lucas Chianca (Left) at Nazaré, Portugal February 24, 2024. Video by Luis Pereira. Additional video by Above Creators and Nuno Dias. Lucas Chianca (Right) at Nazaré, Portugal on February 24, 2024. Video by Above Creators. Steve Roberson at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 24, 2023. Video by Elliot Leboe. Still photos by Erik Aeder, Richard Hallmen Travis Morrin and Cory Roberts.
WOMEN'S BIGGEST WAVE Joana Andrade at Nazaré, Portugal on January 24, 2024. Video by Rennan Chavez. Michelle Des Bouillons at Nazaré, Portugal on November 19, 2023. Video by Rennan Chaves. Laura Lou Crane at Nazare, Portugal December 11, 2023. Video by Above Creators.
MEN'S PADDLE Grant Baker at Dungeons, South Africa on August 9, 2023. Video by Alan Van Gysen. Stills by Nic Bothma. Jojo Roper at Mavericks, California on March 11, 2024. Photo sequence by Fred Pompermayer Alo Slebir at Mavericks, California on October 18, 2023. Video by Curt Myers.
WOMEN'S PADDLE Domi Charrier at Punta de Lobos, Chile on July 21, 2024. Video by Jorge Calderon. Photos by Cristian Saez. Corrie Gray at Waimea Bay, Hawaii on November 24, 2023. Video by Elle Adams. Katie McConnell at Todos Santos, Mexico on February 18, 2024. Video by Thriller at Killers. Photo by Sachi Cunningham.
WIPEOUT OF THE YEAR presented by Aquamar Kipp Caddy at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on April 6, 2024. Video by Tim Bonython. Trevor Carlson at Mavericks, California on March 11, 2024. Video by Kyle Hulse. Bianca Valenti at Mavericks, California on December 28, 2023. Video by Tucker Wooding.
MEN'S SURFER OF THE YEAR Lucas Chianca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) Nathan Florence (Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA) Jojo Roper (San Diego, California, USA)
WOMEN'S SURFER OF THE YEAR Laura Enever (Sydney, NSW, Australia) Katie McConnell (Encinitas, California, USA) Bianca Valenti (Mill Valley, California, USA)
Nominees will not be announced in advance for the Young Gun (best under 18 performance) and the Videographer of the Year categories. The winners of those divisions will be revealed at the awards ceremony.
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