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Thank You, February...
WSL
Seth Moniz had a big February taking on Jaws for the first time under the tutelage of one the wave's biggest chargers, Shane Dorian, who had this to say about the session: "Yesterday I surprised @sethmoniz (whom I've known since he was a toddler) with a new custom 9'6 from @tokorosurfboards and a ticket to maui to surf peahi for the first time. He was pretty nervous, understandably, but he took to the place like a natural. I've looked up to Seth's father @tonymoniz since I was a little grom so to see the look on Tony's face after watching his 18 year old son charge jaws on a board with Tony's old airbrush from back in the day was all time. Sorry to @tammymoniz for the stress and worrying I added to your life the last couple months while waiting for the right swell" This photo was captured on February 10, 2016 by Danny Ecker. A 2016 Paddle Award entry.
Between his series of wipeouts at the Todos Santos challenge and his wipeout at the beginning of February in Northern California, nobody in the big wave community can doubt Nic Vaughan's willingness to charge. Here the Southern California native earns his way into the running for the 2016 TAG Heuer Wipeout of the Year category for an attempt at Maverick's that goes terribly wrong. Video by Dan Norkunas.
See more entries to the TAG Heuer Wipeout Category.
Maverick's was full of carnage in early February and Santa Barbara's Matt Becker suffered its wrath as much as anybody. Video by Dan Norkunas. An entry in the TAG Heuer Wipeout of the Year category of the 2016 WSL Big Wave Awards.
The days preceding the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau's first run since 2009, the entire North Shore was maxed out. However, down the west coast of Oahu another spot was a little more welcoming to the sizable surf and Big Wave Tour competitor Jamie Sterling was on hand to snag a few. Jamie Sterling at Makaha, Hawaii on February 22, 2016. Photo by Gavin Shigesato. A 2016 Paddle Award entry.
See more entries to the Paddle Category.
Clyde Aikau didn't win the Eddie this year, but the former event champ and brother of legendary Hawaiian waterman got the crowd on their feet with his final performance at Waimea Bay. The 66-year-old was the oldest competitor in the lineup, charging alongside event winner John John Florence who is nearly one-third his age.
Shane Dorian and Jamie O'Brien dropped into one of the biggest waves of the day the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau. Dorian earned the second highest single-wave score of the day and JOB likely solidified an invite to the event for years to come.
By the time the conditions and wind aligned for the Eddie the first swell had already travelled across the Pacific Ocean and delivered gigantic surf to Maverick's, California. While many big wave surfers were making their way to the North Shore the day before the event was set to run, Basque Country native Axi Muniain happened to be in Northern California to take on the cold waters and clean conditions. Muniain scores a wave all to himself at Maverick's. Photo by Frank Quirarte for a 2016 Big Wave Awards Paddle Entry.
Maui winter standout, Albee Layer, earned a hospital visit in February after cartwheeling down the face of a mountainous wave at Jaws. Just two weeks later, Layer was back in the water and charging at Jaws. The same day that the Eddie went, so did Albee. A 2016 Paddle Award entry from Aldo Tassara.
Watch more entries to the Billabong Ride of the Year category.
The Eddie was awesome and the wipeouts equally so. You've probably already seen the carnage collection, but they just don't get old.
Maui winter standout, Albee Layer, earned a hospital visit in February after cartwheeling down the face of a mountainous wave at Jaws. Just two weeks later, Layer was back in the water and charging at Jaws. The same day that the Eddie went, so did Albee. A 2016 Paddle Award entry from Aldo Tassara.
Watch more entries to the Billabong Ride of the Year category.