Winners of the 2023 New Big Wave Challenge Awards

Justine Dupont was recognized with premier accolades at the debut New Big Wave Challenge awards in Nazaré, Portugal. The renowned French wave rider bagged the titles for Biggest Wave, Ride of the Year, and Top Female Surfer. Her triumphant wave at the Cortes Bank, an isolated seamount 100 miles from the Californian coast, was captured last January for the HBO Documentary Series “100 Foot Wave.“ Experts estimated the wave’s face to be around 75 feet, making it a potential contender for the Guinness World Record. “It’s nice to once again experience a beautiful evening dedicated to big wave surfing. I hope the event will last and continue to grow. Many thanks to Bill Sharp for starting it again,“ shared Dupont. Hawaii’s own Nathan Florence also had a standout performance, securing two Oscar-like awards for Ride of the Year and Top Male Surfer. The wave Florence mastered at Mullaghmore Head, Ireland, was voted as the season’s fines