Sunset Beach's Moore has biggest ride of year

Advertiser Staff

Dan Moore of Sunset Beach won the top prize at the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards.

Moore was awarded $68,000 for surfing what was measured to be a 68-foot wave — $1,000 per foot. He surfed the wave at Pe'ahi, also known as "Jaws," off Maui's north shore last December.

"It was an amazing day, just massive," said Moore, 48. "We saw that wave forming way outside and my partner, Mark Anderson, made sure I got it."

Moore successfully rode through most of the giant wave, but eventually wiped out at the end.

"When I saw the lip coming over ahead of me, I knew I was in for it," he said. "Now I know what a gecko feels like when a person steps on it."

Moore surfed the wave via tow-in method (he was towed into the wave by a personal watercraft). Photographer Robert Brown received $5,000 for the winning image.

The award was presented at a ceremony in Anaheim, Calif., on Friday night.

The Billabong XXL awards was created five years ago to reward the biggest waves surfed each year.

Hawai'i surfers have won the top prize for three consecutive years, all for surfing at Pe'ahi. Makua Rothman won in 2003, and Pete Cabrinha last year.

Shane Dorian of Kailua, Kona, won $5,000 for the Surfline/Jay Moriarity Best Overall Performance Award.