Maui’s Alms, Kemper, Lenny and Walsh Nominated for 2020 Big Wave Awards

Ian Walsh (Kūʻau, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on Dec. 12, 2019. (Amanda Beenen-Cantor – Amanda@sweetwaterhawaii.com ) Courtesy WSL

The World Surf League today announced the nominees for the 2020 Red Bull Big Wave Awards. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, this year’s Big Wave Awards will honor the best in big wave surfing from the past 12 months.  Maui’s Paige Alms, Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny and Ian Walsh have all been nominated for this year’s 2020 Red Bull Big Wave Awards.

Over the next five weeks, the 2020 BWA will present awards for men’s and women’s divisions across four categories: Ride of the Year, cbdMD XXL Biggest Wave, Paddle Award, and Overall Performer of the Year. The BWA will also honor the Wipeout of the Year winner as voted by fans in the BWA’s first fan-voted category.

Each week, the WSL will announce one BWA category winner.

The annual BWAs validate the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ and all entries have the potential to break the current world records. This year’s cbdMD XXL Biggest Wave category has two world record contenders: Justine Dupont (FRA) and Maya Gabeira (BRA). The winner of the category – and world record determination – will be announced on August 17.

“It’s been an exceptional year for pushing the limits on the women’s front,” said Red Bull Big Wave Award Event Director, Bill Sharp. “Every nominee in the cbdMD XXL Women’s Biggest Wave category is a stunner. Both Maya Gabeira and Justine Dupont have expressed to me their belief that there could well be a new Guinness World Record coming out of Nazaré this year for the largest wave ever ridden by a woman. But who ultimately went bigger between the two of them? Either way, it is shaping up to be a very historic showdown.”

Nominees for 2020 Red Bull Big Wave Awards are posted below (in alphabetical order):

WIPEOUT OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINEES

Winner will be announced on July 27 at 3 p.m. PDT on WSL World Surf Weekly. While the performance categories salute the most successful rides of the past year, the Wipeout division presents the most amazing unsuccessful rides. This is the first fan-voted category for the BWA. Voting is live now and closes on July 23 at 6 p.m. PDT. Vote at WorldSurfLeague.com/gobig.

Felipe Cesarano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal on January 14, 2020. (Video by Pedro Miranda)
Keala Kennelly (Honolulu, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Video by Carlo Carbajal)
Torrey Meister at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Video by Carlo Carbajal)
Francisco Porcella at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Video by Carlo Carbajal)
Jerome Sahyoun (Casablanca, Morocco) at Mullaghmore Head, Ireland on January 14, 2020. (Video by Luke McNee)

BIGGEST PADDLE AWARD NOMINEES

Winners will be announced August 3 at 3 p.m. PDT on WSL World Surf Weekly. The Biggest Paddle Awards go to the male and female surfers who paddle into and successfully ride the biggest wave of the year.

Male Nominees
Russell Bierke (Ulladulla, Australia) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Photos by Erik Aeder, Adam Carbajal, Aaron Lynton, and Keoki Saguibo. Video by Marcus Rodrigues.)
Nathan Florence (Haleʻiwa, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Photos by Erik Aeder, Marco Arellano, Richard Hallman, Aaron Lynton, and Keoki Saguibo. Video by Carlo Carbajal.)
Billy Kemper (Haʻikū, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Photos by Marco Arellano, Dooma Photos, Richard Hallman, Aaron Lynton, and Keoki Saguibo. Video by WSL Video Team.)
Eli Olson (Haleʻiwa, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Photos by Erik Aeder, Marco Arellano, Aaron Lynton, and Cait Miers. Video by WSL Video Team.)
Ian Walsh (Kūʻau, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Amanda Beenen-Cantor, Martin Caprile, Mendo Dornellas, Aaron Lynton, and Luana Teixeira. Video by WSL Video Team.)

Female Nominees
Paige Alms (Haʻikū, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Photos by Marco Arellano, Amanda Beenen-Cantor, Sofie Louca, Aaron Lynton, and Cait Miers. Video by WSL Video Team.)
Paige Alms (Haʻikū, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on November 15, 2019.
(Photo by Aaron Lynton. Video by Marcus Rodrigues.)
Felicity Palmateer (Burleigh Heads, Qld., Australia) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 12, 2019. (Photos by Erik Aeder, Noah Andrews, Adam Carbajal, Aaron Lynton, and Cait Miers. Video by Carlo Carbajal.)

BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE AWARD NOMINEES

Winners will be announced Aug. 10 at 3 p.m. PDT on WSL World Surf Weekly. The Overall Performer of the Year Awards acknowledge the top-performing male and female surfers over the course of the last 12 months (ending March 20, 2020) based on every ride captured on video or still images.

Female Nominees
Paige Alms (Hawaiʻi, USA)
Justine Dupont (Seignosse, France)
Michaela Fregonese (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Maya Gabeira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Felicity Palmateer (Queensland, Australia)

Male Nominees
Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa)
Russell Bierke (New South Wales, Australia)
Lucas Chianca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Nathan Florence (Hawaiʻi, USA)
Billy Kemper (Hawaiʻi, USA)
Kai Lenny (Hawaiʻi, USA)
Tom Lowe (Cornwall, United Kingdom)
Eli Olson (Hawaiʻi, USA)
Nic Von Rupp (Sintra, Portugal)
Ian Walsh (Hawaiʻi, USA)

cbdMD XXL BIGGEST WAVE AWARD NOMINEES

Winners will be announced Aug. 17 at 3 p.m. PDT on WSL World Surf Weekly. The cbdMD XXL Biggest Wave Awards go to the male and female surfers who, by any means available, catch and ride the biggest wave of the year.

Male Nominees
Lucas Chianca (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal on February 17, 2020. (Photo by Helio Antonio. Video by Nuno Dias.)
Kai Lenny (Maui Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 31, 2019. (Video by Marcus Rodrigues.)
Kai Lenny (Maui Hawaiʻi) on a left at Nazaré, Portugal on February 11, 2020.
(Photos by Helio Antonio, Pedro Cruz, Vitor Estrelinha, and Brady Lawrence. Video by Johnny Decesare.)
Kai Lenny (Maui Hawaiʻi) on a right at Nazaré, Portugal on February 11, 2020. (Photos by André Botelho. Video by Laurent Pujol.)
Sebastian Steudtner (Nuremberg, Germany at Nazaré, Portugal on February 11, 2020. (Photos by Helio Antonio. Pedro Cruz and Laurent Masurel. Video by WSL Video Team.)

Female Nominees
Justine Dupont (Seignosse, France) at Nazaré, Portugal on November 13, 2019 (Photos by Maria Fernanda, and Rafael Riancho. Video by Pedro Miranda.)
Justine Dupont (Seignosse, France) at Nazaré, Portugal on February 11, 2020. (Photos by Helio Antonio, André Botelho, Vitor Estrelinha, and Laurent Masurel. Video by Antoine Chicoye.)
Maya Gabeira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal on February 11, 2020.
(Photos by Helio Antonio, Pedro Cruz, and Damien Poullenot. Video by Pedro Miranda.)

RIDE OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINEES

Winners will be announced on Aug. 24 at 3 p.m. PDT on WSL World Surf Weekly. The Ride of the Year is the top-line category of the event and is awarded to the male and female surfers who demonstrate the most advanced and committed level of big wave surfing during a successful ride, as judged by available video-footage. While raw size is taken into consideration, it is ultimately the level of performance that is rewarded.

Female Nominees
Paige Alms (Haʻikū, Hawaiʻi, USA) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on November 15, 2019. (Video by Elliot Leboe)
Justine Dupont (Segnoisse, France) at Nazaré, Portugal on February 11, 2019. (Video by Laurent Pujol)
Michaela Fregonese (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on December 31, 2019. (Video by Adam Carbajal)

Male Nominees
Russell Bierke (Ulladulla, NSW, Australia) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi, on December 12, 2019. (Video by Carlo Carbajal)
Billy Kemper (Haʻikū, Hawaiʻi, USA) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi, on January 23, 2020. (Video by Are Frapwell)
Kai Lenny (Pāʻia, Hawaiʻi) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi on January 25, 2020. (Video by Johnny Decesare)
Tom Lowe (Cornwall, United Kingdom) at Mullaghmore Head, Ireland on January 14, 2020. (Video by Oliver Hegarty)
Eli Olson (Haleiwa, Hawaiʻi, USA) at Peʻahi “Jaws”, Hawaiʻi, on December 12, 2019. (Video by Tomo McPherson)
The 2020 Red Bull Big Wave Awards are proudly supported by Red Bull and cbdMD.