Damien Warr collects grand prize at Big Wave Award ceremony in Sydney – Surfing News
Australia’s Damien Warr accepted a grand prize of $20,000 and Biggest Wave Award at the Surfing Life’s Oakley Big Wave Awards that were held in Sydney, Australia, on Tuesday night, February 7.
The 39-year-old Sydney-based surfer received the award on the basis of a video footage showing him riding a mammoth-sized wave at Western Australia’s Cow Bombie at Margaret River last year.
A panel comprising of 75 judges, who themselves had competed in Big Wave contests in the past, ranked his video as the most spectacular through a secret ballot. Their local knowledge of the waves and experience allowed them to make the most appropriate choice.
Warr described the wave as intense and intimidating, lying somewhere in the 15-to-20 foot range. However, he also added that he was fortunate to have entered Cow Bombie on what was unarguably a great day for surfing. The break did not only turn out to be
wind-free that day, but also offered big waves that hadn’t appeared at the site since 2006.
The validity of his statement was further increased by the fact that Gold Coast’s Jamie Mitchell also paddled on to the biggest wave of the year on the same day that Warr rode his biggest wave. Mitchell got to take home the Biggest Paddle-In Award on Tuesday
night.
“That was the first time guys had really taken it on by paddling, and it was amazing to watch,” said Warr, who had decided to remain at the site after collecting his monstrous wave. “The day was just right, it was clean, not much wind, the sort of day we
haven’t had there since 2006.”
The Western Australian further went on to add that the surfing spot is pretty rare as it does not break that often. However, it is up to the surfer to make the most of the opportunity when it really does break. He, along with Mitchell, managed to do exactly
that.
Tasmanian Tyler Hollmer-Cross also received a prize during the award ceremony in Sydney for riding the biggest slab, wave thicker than they are tall, at Shipstern Bluff.
Filmmakers Rick Jakovich, Tim Bonython, Dave Otto, Jamin McLean, along with stills lens-man Andrew Chisolm took home the Shooter Awards for capturing the winning rides on camera.
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