Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing and Bodyboarding News Center. Breaking News, Surfing Games, Surf Movies, Board Size Charts, Surf Videos, Wind and Wave Forecasts, Surf Shop, Surf Spots, Surf Cams, Surf Travel.
Big wave fights invade the 2012 Billabong XXL Awards
Tuesday, 13 March 2012 17:14

Grant Baker: that's easy for you | Photo: BillabongXXL/Frank Quirarte

The 2012 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards is on fire. In the last weeks, a large fleet of international riders has produced new entries that might change everything in the last minute.


Right now, the big wave contest has already secured dozens of top-quality insane rides. Ireland and the UK clearly want to claim the title. Andrew Cotton caught a monster wave after a huge swell that hit Europe, last week. The surf spot? Mullaghmore Head, the Irish big wave temple, of course.

The huge swell which blasted Europe last week was especially focused on Ireland, with Mullaghmore Head in County Sligo producing the biggest waves ever seen along the Emerald Isle. Andrew Cotton, 32, from Croyde, Devon, United Kingdom was awaiting the monster surf on March 8 along with his Irish tow surfing partner Al Mennie.

"We'd been tracking that swell for about a week," explains Cotton. "All these swells that hit Ireland can be hit and miss with wind and this one couldn't make its mind up".

"I've spent so many swells on that headland with the wind howling but not quite in the right direction and I honestly thought that this was going to be another swell like that. Al Mennie and myself camped out at Mullaghmore the night before and couldn't believe our luck at first light the next day"

"It had been a fairly disappointing winter compared to the previous year and it was far from perfect that day," continued Cotton. "After watching for about 30 minutes and deciding to pick a few off, Al towed me into an absolute bomb. It was my first wave of the day. It felt like a reminder of how good it can get there and why I put the time and effort in".

Dave Wassal, Rusty Long, Shane Dorian, Grant Baker, Greg Long, Mark Healey, Tom Butler, Joao de Macedo, Matt Meola, Alex Botelho, Heloy Junior, Danilo Couto, Nathan Fletcher and many more are inline to hear their names called.

Teahupoo in Tahiti, Jaws in Hawaii, Maverick’s in California and Shipstern Bluff in Australia’s Tasmania, Portugal, Spain and France. are only a few of the locations producing big hits and tough wipe-outs.

The 2012 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards qualifying period runs through the end of the Northern Hemisphere winter and end on the 19th March 2012. The awards ceremony will be held at the Grove Theater, in Anaheim, California, on May 4th.


 

Join our surfing community in Facebook!   Get the top news stories in your Twitter account!   SurferToday.com on Google +   Follow us on Pinterest   SurferToday on Youtube

The best surf watches in the world
Wave Height Forecast
Wind Speed and Direction Forecast
Wave Period
Surf Videos
Surf Books
Surf Movies
Online Surfing Games

SURFING

The surf earplugs that allow you to hear
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

The new Seals Balance Pro by EQ earplugs allow surfers to protect their ears and hear everything when wearing them.
When spring and summer start, everyone surfs more often. Also, all-year round surfers are more exposed to severe ear injuries, such as the surfer's ear (Exostosis) and swimmer's ear (Otitis). This problem can be developed after 3000 hours of cold water surfing. Neoprene hoodies and ear plugs are the best way to avoid surgery.


The equestrian experience of horse surfing
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

Horseboarding is the modern version of chariot racing that promises to pump extreme hearts and classic horse lovers.
They say taking off is the hardest part. Please welcome the world of horseboarding, where horsepower is, in fact, the power output of a horse. Not a jet ski. Horseboarding can be enjoyed both in the water of oceans and rivers and in countryside race tracks. If you live by the sea, grab a surfboard, kite board, wake board or skim board and prepare to speed up to the 40 miles  [ ... ]


+ Surfing News

KITEBOARDING

"Kite Surfer" is the new wind riding game for iOS
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

"Kite Surfer" is the latest kitesurfing game for iPhone and iPad.
Lemondo Entertainment has announced the release of its newest game, "Kite Surfer", an arcade kitesurfing game designed for both iPhone and iPad. "Kite Surfer" is an endless running game, in which players take control of a character by swiping on the display or tilting a mobile device.


Pudla Narapichit hailed Kiteboard Tour Asia 2012/2013 champion
21/05/2013
article thumbnail

Pudla Narapichit and Doque Delos Santos have been crowned the Kiteboard Tour Asia 2012/2013 champions.
With 120 riders from 30 countries, the final and decisive Chinese stage once again broke all records, at Pingtan Island, also known as Haitan Island. The spot is regarded as China's windiest location - regular wind speeds of over 30 knots are recorded over the winter monsoon season and all of the island's old traditional style stone houses need to have rocks placed on top of their tiled roo [ ... ]


+ Kitesurfing News

WINDSURFING

Taty Frans and Kiri Thode blast the Curacao Challenge 2013
17/05/2013
article thumbnail

Taty Frans and Kiri Thode have claimed the Slalom and Freestyle titles at the Curacao Challenge 2013, in the Netherlands Antilles.
A total of 85 windsurfers from some of the world's best sailing countries like Bonaire, Aruba and Curacao competed in front of hundreds of spectators. The 5th edition of the Curacao Challenge showcased an high level of competition mixed with a great atmosphere. The event held a Tow-In Freestyle contest, Slalom races and a SUP battle.


The windsurfing book for young people
14/05/2013
article thumbnail

"Go Windsurfing!" is a windsurfing book for young people published by the Royal Yachting Association.
Written and illustrated by Claudia Myatt, "RYA Go Windsurfing!" offers easy reading style and engaging content to children aged between 7-12 years old. The entertaining and clear format takes the reader from the beginnings through to starting to race and what they need to know to stay safe while out windsurfing. There is also an informative section at the back which explores Windsurfing amaz [ ... ]


+ Windsurfing News

BODYBOARDING

Nuno Azevedo sweeps fourth Luso Galaico Championship title
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

Nuno Azevedo has conquered the bodyboarding division of the XV Luso Galaico Championship, a competition between Portuguese and Galician riders.
Up to 64 bodyboarders and surfers from the North of Portugal and the Spanish region of Galicia have competed at Cabedelo Beach and Arda Beach, in Viana do Castelo. With a mobile structure and a new live scoring system, the level of competition was high in the 2-4 foot waves on offer. Portuguese riders claimed four out of five titles at the XV Luso Ga [ ... ]


What happens in Teahupoo stays in Teahupoo
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

What happens in Teahupoo stays in Teahupoo. Don't tell anyone about the wipeouts you're about to witness.
When surfers are out of the game, bodyboarders go for it. During the infamous mid-May swell of 2013, a group of prone riders decided to taste the real power of the Tahitian barrel. Maui Leetham, Richard Niko, Jurd Heimana, Thibault Casabianca, John Duval prepared their boards, leashes and cameras and paddled into the devil, with fin power only.


+ Bodyboarding News