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SANTA CRUZ — When Ken "Skindog" Collins caught a 40-foot monster in Mexico last June, he knew he was on the wave of his life. But now, on top of that sweet ride, he's got the chance to win $50,000.
By Gwen Mickelson Sentinel staff writer SANTA CRUZ — When Ken "Skindog" Collins caught a 40-foot monster in Mexico last June, he knew he was on the wave of his life. But now, on top of that sweet ride, he's got the chance to win $50,000.
The Santa Cruz surfer is a nominee for the top prize in this year's Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards, which reward the gutsiest, most cutting-edge big-wave surfing caught on film or video anywhere in the world during the past 12 months.
"I try not to think about it, whatever, but it's in the back of my head, and everybody's calling me and going, 'Dude!' " said the 38-year-old Collins, a sales representative for surf retailer Volcom.
Collins said his ride "was the wave of my life at this point, for sure"
The wave at Puerto Escondido, also known as "the Mexican Pipeline," is a giant beach break that can whomp down, or "close out," at any moment without warning, Collins said.
"It was a peak and it turned into a giant wall and started running away from me," Collins said. "I had to put everything I had on the line to make it"
He was on a family vacation, and his wife and 5-year-old daughter were on the beach watching.
Two other Santa Cruz residents — Alistair Craft and Jamilah Star — were nominated for this year's Billabong awards, which include six different categories. The awards ceremony is tonight in Anaheim. The invitation-only event draws about 2,000 surf industry VIPs and is webcast live. It also will be broadcast in May on the FUEL TV network.
The locals were nominated in the following categories:
- Collins, Ride of the Year [$50,000] and Monster Tube [$5,000], for his Puerto Escondido ride.
- Craft, Biggest Wave [$15,000], for a ride at Ghost Tree in Pebble Beach in December.
- Jamilah Star, Women's Best Overall Performance [$5,000].
Craft, a real estate agent and partner in the Santa Cruz Billabong shop, was surprised his wave turned out to be XXL-worthy.
"It was funny because it was not a great day out there," Craft said, whose tow-in partner that day was Santa Cruz surfer Adam Replogle, who is also Craft's partner in the Billabong store. "It was really bumpy and it was kinda slow"
His wave, however, has been estimated at 55-65 feet.
It just so happened that he got three really good rides in a row, and "those were the three best waves that came through," Craft said. "A lot of it is just luck with whose turn it is"
Star surfed huge Jaws, on the north shore of Maui, and also Maverick's a few times during the past year, once all by herself, she said by phone from the North Shore of Oahu. Getting to surf many big waves was so rewarding, she said excitedly, that "the outcome of the awards doesn't really matter" Also, she's friends with both of the other women up for awards and would be happy to see one of them win, she said.
Collins and Craft were among five finalists for their awards, while Star was among three. A panel of judges — among them Santa Cruz surfer Peter Mel — analyze still and motion images of the finalists' rides to determine the winners.
The measurement process is "quasi-scientific," event director Bill Sharp said, who's based in Newport Beach. Judges get a large blowup of the photos, then have someone close to the surfer's height imitate their stance. The model's crouched-position height is measured, then judges use calipers and measuring instruments to do the math with the photos.
The photographers and videographers who captured the winning rides also get recognition in the contest, with awards ranging from $2,000 to $5,000. The entries prove big-wave surfing's ever-expanding reach into increasingly far-flung locations, with nominated rides taking place in spots including South Africa, Australia, Spain, Mexico, California, Chile, Tahiti and Tasmania.
Previous XXL events — the contest is now entering its seventh year — have rewarded the biggest wave caught on film, but organizers this year wanted to recognize the significant advances made in big-wave surfing over the past several years by designing a new category, Ride of the Year, Sharp said.
"In big-wave surfing we went through a crazy revolution," he said. "Instead of just surviving big waves, guys are ripping them to shreds. Techniques and equipment are evolving so quickly, and there's been a progression of performance"
Previous local XXL winners include Star, Shane Desmond and Zach Wormhoudt.
If he wins, Craft would funnel the prize money back into tow-in surf equipment, he said.
As for Collins, he'd first split the prize with the surf partner who towed him in to the giant Mexican wave, Carlos "Coco" Nogales of Puerto Escondido. Then, he said, he'd go to Disneyland.
To view the nominated waves, visit www.billabongxxl.com .
Contact Gwen Mickelson at
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