Big wave surfing's best crowned at annual Big Wave Awards

ANAHEIM, Calif., April 26 (UPI) -- The best big wave surfers in the world gathered in California on Saturday to name the best rides and best performers of the year at the 16th annual World Surf League Big Wave Awards.

Stirred by the El Nino over the Pacific Ocean, the winter storm season served up some of the best surf in years, including a monstrous 73-foot tall wave off the coast of Maui ridden by relative newcomer Yuri Soledade of Hawaii in February.

Veteran surfer Shane Dorian of Hawaii added another big night to his long career, winning Ride of the Year and Men's Overall Performance of the Year for several key rides at spots around the world. Dorian declared himself "extremely grateful" for the recognition from his peers.

During the ceremony, California's Greg Long was officially crowned with his second world title, clinched in January, furthering the argument that if Long is already the most decorated big wave surfer in the sport's history, he's also likely its best.

"Every winter I say at the end of it 'how does it ever get bigger or better?' I know that I'm around the most incredible people in the world," Long said. "This sport is only going forward to greater heights."

Other winners included Hawaii's Aaron Gold for Best Paddle Award. His nerves of steel and physical ability lifted him to the record books, paddled into a ride on a wave 63-feet tall near his home.

But women also left their mark on the big wave surfing world, with Hawaiian Keala Kennelly, a previous Big Wave Award winner, picking up the Barrel of the Year award, a historic victory over an otherwise all-male field. The wave came at the beautiful and terrifying spot known as Teahupoo in Tahiti.

"Who I really really want to thank is everyone who told me you can't do that because you're a woman," Kennelly told the crowd. "Because that drove me to dedicate my life to proving you wrong and it's been so damn fun."

Brazil's Andrea Moller took home her first Best Overall Performance Award, telling the crowd about her journey, "I went to school and became a paramedic. When I came back to surfing, it was not to win an award, it was for pure fun."