Big-wave surfers scour the world for the gnarliest, most terrifying waves on the planet – and now that this year’s hunt is over, it’s time to celebrate.
For a long time, the world’s best big-wave surfers gathered in Anaheim to earn awards and accolades, but event organizers have moved the gathering to Portugal in a small coastal town that has been in the spotlight in recent years thanks to its monster of a wave, Nazaré.
Two San Diego surfers are nominated, La Jolla’s Jojo Roper and Encinitas’ Katie McConnell, both up for Paddle of the Year and Surfer of the Year awards.
“It’s their chance to become a household name,” said Newport Beach surfer Bill Sharp, organizer for the SURFER Big Wave Challenge, which is handing out the awards on Oct. 19.
Sharp has been at the forefront of the big-wave scene for decades, first creating the XXL Big Wave Awards in 2000. The first few years, the ceremony was at the Oakley Headquarters in Foothill Ranch, before it went to the City National Grove of Anaheim for 12 years, drawing an invite-only crowd of 2,000 surf industry and fans.
That event was taken over by the World Surf League in 2019, before it fizzled following the pandemic.
Sharp recreated the event and moved it to Portugal last year, to the surf town that is the centerpiece of the Emmy-winning HBO series “100 Foot Wave,” which Sharp co-produces. The show’s third season is set to release in May.
The nominated athletes and photographers are vying for more than $160,000 in prize money.
Roper, 34, recently talked about chasing big waves and what it means to be recognized for his feats.
One of the most exciting waves of the year, which helped earn him the Surfer of the Year nomination, came just after Christmas, a massive day at Mavericks in Northern California.
It was a stormy, funky day, Roper said, but somehow a unicorn of a wave emerged.
He was being towed into the surf by friend Jamie Mitchell, also a well-known big-wave surfer.
“That day was as big as it gets, for what I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Roper said of the 60-to-70-foot wave. “It was giant, lumpy and bumpy and grindy.”
A set rolled in and he waited for just the right one.
“I picked the cleanest, most beautiful wave I could,” he said.
As it grew, a barrell suddenly appeared, a rare sight at this building-size surf spot. Video shows Ropper spitting out of the barrel amid the storm of white wash from the wave crashing in behind him.
It was a wave months later on March 11 at the same spot that earned him a nomination for the Paddle of the Year award, a huge feather in the cap for big-wave surfers.
“This is everything for us,” Roper said. “It was something each year everyone would strive for … it’s our little competition, in a way.”
New this year will be a special dinner for the photographers a day prior to the awards, no surfers allowed, Sharp said.
“Without the photographers, it’s just a story that someone rode a big wave,” Sharp said. “I can’t reinforce enough how important they are to document for the world to know what is going on out there. I love any opportunity to give them their spotlight.”
El Segundo photographer Fred Pompermayer remembers the late season swell that rolled in last March, packing up his photo gear for the last-minute trip to document the big-wave action, which ended up including Roper’s ride.
“I have always been fascinated with Mavericks,” he said. “For me, it’s one of the best waves in the world – the size, the shape of the wave. When it’s big, it’s hard to beat.”
Pompermayer said no one expected the swell to show up as big it did that day.
“This big wave came and Jojo was in the right spot to do this steep drop,” he said. “It was incredible. It was definitely the wave of the day, or the season.”
Pompermayer said the SURFER Big Wave Challenge isn’t just a big deal for the surfers, but also the photographers who capture the moment.
“It’s the time everyone shows their passion, their work,” said Pompermayer, who is planning on attending in Portugal. “It’s a chance for everyone to show their love for the sport.”
Huntington Beach trophy maker Dave Reynolds is also making the trek, supplying winners with their own Oscar-like statues.
“I’m not a big wave surfer, but I can really appreciate the skill and nerve it takes to throw yourself over the ledge for a massive drop,” Reynolds said, calling it an honor to be selected as the event trophy maker.
Encinitas native McConnell, 34, is on the Paddle of the Year award list for a wave caught during the Thrillers at Killers contest on Feb. 18 at Todos Santos, Mexico – a moment captured on film by videographer Sachi Cunningham.
Encinitas surfer Katie McConnell drops into a massive wave at the Thrillers at Killers surf contest at Todos Santos in Mexico, a moment that earned her a “Paddle of the Year” nomination. (Photo courtesy of Sachi Cunningham)
McConnell, who moved to Maui recently to continue her big-wave pursuits, chatted about how her love for big-wave surfing grew through the years.
She grew up surfing at Cardiff Reef, discovering the sport during a surf PE class at San Dieguito High School. It was when she went to earn a master’s degree at Oregon State that she “caught the bug” for big waves.
“The rush and the thrill of the height of the wave – and the speed of those taller waves and just the increase in energy,” she said. “It’s cool.”
She, like Roper, found a strong connection to Mavericks, making a name for herself in the big-wave realm during the 2020-21 season. She started getting invited to events in Hawaii and other contests.
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“Growing up, it wasn’t really part of my wildest dreams, but I always had an interest in big-wave surfing,” McConnell said, recalling how as a kid she was captivated as she and her father watched videos together. “I never imagined I’d be a part of something like this … I was always inspired by people’s waves and what the surfers were doing in such giant seas.”
She called it an honor to be part of the list of nominees and the small group of women who have pushed boundaries.
“It’s really humbling to be a part of it,” McConnell said, adding she’s following the footsteps of women pioneers Keala Kennelly and Maya Gabeira, and those who came before them.
“Our culture surrounding women in big-wave surfing has changed, I’m excited to see how everyone develops over time,” she said. “I think it’s going to be really amazing.”
The wave at the Thrillers at Killers contes – the first time the women had their own heat – won her the event and the chance at the Paddle of the Year award.
“It’s so cool to have these awards, it’s a great way to get everyone together and celebrate all the great surfing that’s been going on all year,” she said. “I think it’s really important and it’s inspiring not just for surfers, but for everyone who witnesses and is a part of it in some way.”
The SURFER Big Wave Challenge award gala will be streamed live at 1 p.m. Pacific time on Fuel TV and surfer.com.
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