Snaps from Surfing’s Biggest Night – Surfer Magazine

Posted On: December 6, 2019

Well, that was fun. Surfing’s biggest party went off last night as only the Surfer Awards can, with the World Tour elite, stratospheric punters, heavy water heroes, steezy alternative craft gurus and Hawaiian surfing royalty all getting together under one roof to celebrate the best surfing and surf filmmaking of the year.

Up on stage, The Mattson 2 shredded strings and pounded the kit while Dave Wassel and Chris Cote passed out some truly gorgeous hunks of bronze made by sculptor Alrik Yuill. Backstage, with all the acceptance speech anxiety in the rearview, the big winners let their hair down, high-fived their fellow Surfer Award champs, and toasted the night. Memories may be hazy, but that’s why we bring cameras to these things…

Tosh Tudor, looking for his dance floor.

Men’s Heavy Water winner Russell Bierke was looking almost as casual onstage as he does knifing drops into nightmarish slabs.

An appropriately-heavy trophy for the Heavy Water winner.

Nazare conquerer Justine Dupont, aglow after her Women’s Heavy Water victory.

Winner of the inaugural Women’s Best Barrel award, Tahiti’s own Vahine Fierro.

“Weird Waves” was a hit, both online and in the Turtle Bay Ballroom, where cheers erupted for their Best Series win.

Best Maneuver winner Matt Meola backflipped his way onto the stage in 2019.

Rafael Bergstrom of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii and Ian Walsh, posing with the generous donation by PAU Maui Vodka to the organization as part of the Agent of Change award.

Lyndie and Bruce Irons, stoked to celebrate two of the most electric up and comers by bestowing them with the A.I. Breakthrough Performer award.

A.I. Breakthrough Performer Brisa Hennessy, honored by the Irons clan.

Local boy Barron Mamiya and Hennessy, your 2019 A.I. Breakthrough Performers.

The gang’s all here.

Vlog lord Jamie O’Brien, as chosen by surf fans everywhere. Battle of the Vlogs was the one reader-voted award included in the show, the rest will be revealed early next week. Stay tuned.

Former host, current Women’s Best Style winner, Kelia Moniz is a Surfer Awards veteran.

Pure Pipeline royalty: Derek Ho and Bruce Irons.

Freshly-crowned four-time world champ Carissa Moore, adding another trophy to her 2019 collection.

Man, myth, legend and potential 2019 world champ. Men’s Best Surfer winner Italo Ferreira has certainly got momentum at the moment.

One half of The Mattson 4…err, wait, that’s not right. Chris Cote and Dave Wassel took on hosting duties again this year, and dressed to the nines for the occasion.