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HUGE TAHITI SWELL RAISES THE BAR FOR BILLABONG XXL BIG WAVE AWARDS |
| Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards presented by Monster Energy Eighth annual awards recognizing achievement in the world’s biggest waves Prize-money totaling US $120 000 Ride of the Year, Biggest Wave, Monster Tube, Monster Paddle, Best Overall Men & Women, Photographers & Videographers April 2007 – March 2008 HUGE TAHITI SWELL RAISES THE BAR FOR BILLABONG XXL BIG WAVE AWARDS A huge swell in the South Pacific on Thursday saw a dedicated group of international and local men and women ride some massive tubing waves ridden at the legendary break of Teahupoo in Tahiti, raising the bar for the contenders in the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards presented by Monster Energy. The Teahupoo session was lead by a number of past Billabong XXL and Monster Tube contenders, including Hawaiian Shane Dorian, Australian Dylan Longbottom and local Tahitian Manoa Drollet. Because of the size of the swell, the top pro surfers were towed into the huge barrels by personal watercraft, with the dramatic day of action producing a number of candidates for the Billabong XXL Ride of the Year Award. Brazilian Maya Gabeira (winner of last year's award for best overall big wave performance by a woman) shocked observers by launching into several of the heaviest waves ever attempted by a female. And Frenchman Benjamin Sanchez represented Europe on the XXL front by successfully claiming one of the biggest waves of the entire swell. The twelve-month XXL event period is barely at the halfway point with the prime season in the North Pacific and Atlantic just starting up. Entries from the Southern Hemisphere winter dominate the list of contenders at present with spectacular footage and photographs from venues in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Mexico, Tasmania and now from Tahiti. In addition to all the latest entries in each category, full event details including formats, rules and archives of past XXL years can be seen at the event website at www.BillabongXXL.com. The current event window continues through the Equinox on March 19, 2008, with the annual gala awards ceremony scheduled to take place in Southern California on April 11, 2008. The Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards are presented by Monster Energy Drinks. Verizon Wireless is the official communications provider and Surfline.com is the official surf forecast of the XXL. Supporting sponsors include Honda watercraft, Hawaiian Airlines and Surfing Magazine. /ends MEDIA CONTACT Bill Sharp SurfNewsEd@aol.com +1-949-548-6740 Distributed by: Life's a Beach Communications PO Box 48272, Kommetjie 7976, South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 21 783 4965 Fax: +27 (0) 86 684 6250 Mobile: +27 (0) 82 423 1964 Email: lifesabeach@mweb.co.za |
| Date: 3 Nov 07 |