The best day in five years at Western Australia’s Cow Bombie has given Damien “Taco” Warr the big cheque in Surfing Life’s Oakley Big Wave Awards.
At a typically raucous presentation on the 8th of February, Warr accepted $20,000 for the biggest wave ridden in Australasian waters for the past year and immediately paid tribute to other riders – in particular Queensland’s Jamie Mitchell, who won the biggest paddle-in ride on the same day.
“That was the first time guys had really taken it on by paddling, and it was amazing to watch,” said Warr, who after getting his own mind boggling wave, sat in deep water to watch Mitchell and the other paddler nominees charge into the bombs. “The day was just right, it was clean, not much wind, the sort of day we haven’t had there since 2006.”
Taco himself almost didn’t make it out that day after miscalculating and driving to nearby Margaret River instead. “It was way too big, so I got back in my car and drove up to the bay near Cow,” he recalled. “I had the wrong board, no tow partner, I was freaking out. Luckily I ran into a mate, Roger Melville, who had a jetski. Then my wife drove my tow-board to the ramp to save time.”
No prizes for guessing where Taco will be spending some of the $20,000.
This year’s Awards broke all records for entries with over 70 rides submitted across all categories, from locations in West Oz, Victoria, NSW and epically, Tasmania.
A huge day at Shipstern Bluff gave Tassie local Tyler Hollmer-Cross the winner in the Biggest Slab Award – a prize designed for waves thicker than even they are high.
Shooter Awards went to filmmakers Rick Jakovich, Tim Bonython, Dave Otto and Jamin McLean and stills lensman Andrew Chisolm who provided evidence of the winning rides.
The Awards now head into their tenth anniversary year, with a new season beginning this morning – or given the nature of the presentation night, maybe this afternoon would be more accurate.
Event planners are working on a few special things for the anniversary year, with the paddle-in division sure to get a kick in the pants of some sort after this year’s effort.
The unique judging system, in which the riders themselves get a chance to vote on their peers’ efforts, will definitely be retained, "It worked eally well this year, and we’re planning on continuing the surfer involvement in judging for sure in 12/13.”
Nick Carroll
Co-ordinator and head judge
