Nathan Fletcher conquered the "Ride of the Year" at the 2012 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards, in Anaheim, California. The "Oscars" of extreme surfing have been finally delivered in a packed and stoked Grove Theater.
The "Biggest Wave" champion was Garrett McNamara, who rode what is considered by many the biggest wave of all time, in the famous Nazaré canyon, in the coast of Portugal.
"Three huge lumps appeared on the horizon, we picked the biggest one and Andrew Cotton towed me in," recalls McNamara of his monster wave off the town of Nazaré, in Portugal.
"I remember dropping and dropping, then punching it off the bottom and wanting to get up into the tube, but it just exploded and landed right on my shoulder and felt like a ton of bricks".
"I just focused on making it and somehow cruised out to the end. At that moment I didn't have any idea that ride was going to get so much attention, all I was thinking was 'put me deeper on the next one'", McNamara added.
The votes of the judges also went to the epic wave rides of Nathan Fletcher (Monster Tube), Dave Wassel (Monster Paddle), Garrett McNamara (XXL Biggest Wave), Garrett McNamara (Wipeout of the Year), Nathan Fletcher (Overall Performance) and Maya Gabeira (Girls Performance)
The best big wave surfers in the world gathered to honor the most incredible stunts in the field of extreme surfing. Portugal, Hawaii, Australia, USA, French Polynesia and Tahiti were some of the spots where huge walls of water were ridden by talented cold-blooded surfers.
2012 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards | Winners
Ride of the Year: Nathan Fletcher
Monster Tube: Nathan Fletcher
Monster Paddle: Dave Wassel
XXL Biggest Wave: Garrett McNamara
Wipeout of the Year: Garrett McNamara
Overall Performance: Nathan Fletcher
Girls Performance: Maya Gabeira