American big wave surfer Nic Lamb has taken out the 12th edition of the Punta Galea Challenge, held in Bilbao, Spain.
Despite losing the World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave Tour (BWT) status, the iconic event got underway in spectacular conditions and was surrounded by thousands of surfing fans.
With waves breaking in the 18-foot range, Basque Country rider Natxo Gonzalez nailed an incredible 10-point-ride in front of his home crowd, and his performance was hailed as one of the best at Punta Galea.
The contest attracted some of the best big wave specialists on the planet, including Francisco Porcella, Cliff Skudin, Aritz Aranburu, Benjamin Sanchis, and Rafael Tapia, as well as many local and continental chargers.
In the end, and with a near-perfect three-wave total of 27.95 points, Nic Lamb inscribed once again his name on the list of the winners of the Punta Galea Challenge. He had previously won in 2014.
"This past year has been a real challenge for me. Pushing through injuries and testing moments forced me to dig deep and find conviction. Massive thanks to my team and everyone who supported me through the ups and downs!" expressed Lamb.
2017 Punta Galea Challenge | Final
1. Nic Lamb (USA) 27.95
2. Adrian Fernandez de Valderrama (EUK) 20.44
3. Indar Unanue (EUK) 19.43
4. Francisco Porcella (ITA) 18.91
5. Natxo Gonzalez (EUK) 18.38
6. Kosme Fernandez (EUK) 14.31