Oakley/Surfing Life Big Wave Awards

BIG NIGHT FOR BIG WAVE CHARGERS AS CATER TAKES TOP PRIZE

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 13 February, 2008 : - - The nation’s top big wave surfers were bracing for a long night on the town after Western Australia’s Alex “Alfy” Cater took out the coveted Oakley Surfing Life Biggest Wave Award at a gala presentation evening in Sydney’s Bondi.

Cater, who’d been runner-up to last year’s winner Damon Eastaugh, took home $20,000 in cash and a brand new Sea-Doo personal watercraft for his effort, and immediately announced he’d be making good on his pre-night promise to the 11 other ride entrants. “It’ll be my shout tonight now for sure!” Cater says.

His ride, recorded last September at the terrifying deepwater break known as ‘Cow Bombie’ near Margaret River, Western Australia, was estimated at over 14 metres in face height by the judging panel (45 feet in surfer-style imperial measurement).

Cater’s wave barely edged out three other rides recorded on the same day by Queenslander Mark Visser and Hawaiians Jamie Sterling and Ian Walsh, who travelled halfway round the globe to ‘Cow Bombie’ to meet the swells. Alfy’s reaction? “A sigh of relief really mate,” he says. “Now I can pay the taxman all the money I’ve owed him for the past few years.”

Marti Paradises : photo Stuart Gibson

The Award will open doors for him in the growing global big-wave competition field, he says. Big surf competitions are now held in South Africa, Hawaii and California along with these Awards. “It’s something I really want to pursue if I can … I’ve been to Hawaii and California and met a lot of the guys who ride their big spots and I’d love to challenge them.”

The jetski will come in handy too – since not long ago, Alfy and his tow partner Ian “Wooly” McPherson had to abandon their own ski under a massive set of 10-metre waves waves at ‘Cow Bombie’. “The ski conked out about three metres from the worst possible spot… We got three waves on the head and that was it for the ski.”

The fact that they were six kilometres from land at the time barely raises Alfy’s eyebrow – which is a little clue as to the sort of person who takes on surf in this range.

Since being inaugurated five years ago, the Oakley Surfing Life Big Wave Awards have revealed a side of surfing long hidden behind the glittering world pro tour arena – a group of surfers who’ve used their home-grown skills and experience to push the sport’s natural limits, often without much publicity or attention outside their peers and slightly horrified onlookers.

“We’re all pretty rough and ready I suppose but we’re doing this because we love it,” he says. “In a way this Award might change some things for me but it won’t change why I go surfing.” As for Wooly, who towed him into the Award-winner: “He owns a surf shop and he’s one of my sponsors, so he won’t be seeing the colour of my money!” Alfy laughs.

Best Overall Performance Award for the season went to Tasmania’s Marti Paradisis, who pronounced himself “over the moon” after his series of amazing tube rides at the Apple Isle’s remote Shipstern Bluff reefbreak swept the judging panel’s vote. “It’s on behalf of all the guys I surf with at ‘Shippies’ and who I know could win this Award too …we’re stoked to have waves in our backyard that are as good as anywhere in the world.”

The Shooter Award for photography went to Jamie Scott for his image of Cater’s winning ride.

About Oakley
Oakley, Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes high-performance sunglasses, prescription frames, goggles  and technology-enabled eyewear that utilize the company’s High Definition Optics® (HDO®), a collective  platform of patented technologies that offer unbeatable optical performance.  The company also produces  technical and active apparel, footwear and accessories.

About Morrison Media
Morrison Media is a unique and progressive magazine publishing company. It’s been Morrison Media’s continued  commitment to all areas of quality and service that has enabled the company to grow as it has since 1985 when  it started with Australia’s Surfing Life Magazine.

What distinguishes it from its competition is a real passion for what we do. It’s a passion that shows at every  level, editorial, photography, design and production, all driven by the desire to make the titles the final word on  the sports and lifestyles they cover. Morrison Media is unique and progressive in its methods and take great pride in their market leading titles  and service.

Published titles include Australia’s Surfing Life, Slam, Riptide, Kiwi Surf, Australian Longboarding, Powderhound, Australian Snowboarder, Freerider MX, Trailbike Adventure, Frankie and Visions, Complete  Guide to Surfing and Surf Stories books.   

Previous reports:
# 1 : Oakley & Surfing Life Big Wave Awards seal last entries
# 2 : Handful of Tassie surfers charge psycho Shipstern Bluff
# 3 : Oakley, Surfing Life Big Wave Awards set for Wednesday 

www.oakley.com.au 
www.morrisonmedia.com.au
www.surfinglife.com.au/bigwaveawards

More Australasian Surfing News available here
Check the latest Australasian Surf Reports and Forecasts

New! B2B News ASBE-Surf   |  Receive News-Alerts

Event Coordinator
Nick Carroll
ncsurf@ozemail.com.au

Morrison Media Pty Ltd
Jarrod Heathcote
media@morrisonmedia.com.au

Oakley South Pacific
Graham Dickinson
Graham.Dickinson@OAKLEY.com

Cassandra Murnieks
Event Publicity

Big Wave - Surfersvillage