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The O'Neill South African Big Wave Raw Courage Awards - Rules
O'Neill South Africa is proud to launch a new and unique event in South African Surfing History, the South African Big Wave Raw Courage Awards. This is a solely a Big Wave recognition event, with the emphasis purely on Big Wave Paddle surfing,
Awards, Submission Format Requirements & Prize
| Award
| Submission Format Required
| Prize
|
| The Raw Courage Award |
Photograph or Frame Grab |
Trip to surf Mavericks- Half Moon Bay, with spending money (worth R25k) |
| Balls to the Wall Award (Most committed Surfer) |
No photographic evidence required (Event Chairman's Choice) |
R5k |
| Green Room Award |
Minimum 5 picture Sequence or Video clip |
R5k |
| Ultimate Ride Award (Ride of the Year) |
Minimum 5 picture Sequence or Video clip |
R10k |
| Biggest Wave Award (Biggest ridden wave of the year) |
Photograph or Frame Grab |
R5k |
Rules
Eligibility
- Only South African Surfers
- Waves eligible for nomination can be ridden both within the confines of South African waters and abroad
- To be eligible for consideration, all images must be submitted within 10 (ten) days of capture
Event Duration
- The event runs from 20th May 2007 to 20th May 2008
- All nomination rides are to be sent in to O'Neill SA, and may be showcased on the O'Neill SA Website
- Winners will be announced at the Closing function on the 20th May 2008.
Entry
- Send a big wave picture or video clip of any South African surfer, pictured on a minimum 15ft wave, anywhere around South Africa or overseas, to: rawcourageawards@oneillsa.com
Publication of Submitted Material
Selected submitted entries will be showcased on http://www.oneillsa.com; the website will be updated after every big swell, as new content is available.
Judging/Voting Specifics
- A Voting poll on the website will be available for each division to select the top 5 in each category; thereafter an experienced three man judging panel will choose the winners of each division
- The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Photographer Prizes
- The photographer who shoots the winning wave in each division is entitled to 10% of the award prize value (for the Raw Courage Award) or R1,000 (for the other awards).
Contest Guidelines
This event is a Big Wave Awards event and therefore, no wave will get recognized for nomination for any one of the five awards, unless it is a minimum of 15ft. The Raw Courage Awards has it’s roots heavily embedded in the Paddle side of the Sport and as much as Tow Surfing will get recognized and the athletes will get credited for pushing the boundaries and limits of what is ride able in surfing, we would like all Surfers participating to understand that all awards besides the Biggest Wave Award, will get skewed emphasis toward the Big Wave Paddle waves, as we believe the level of courage, skill, commitment and degree of difficulty is higher paddling into a monster wave, than is required for Tow Surfing.
If any waves nominated for any one of the O’Neill Raw Courage Awards are ridden within the Cape National Parks demarcated area, which are aided by jet-ski/PWC assist, they need to be ridden, following all the rules and Regulations that have been layed out by the TSSA-Tow Surf South Africa and must be a registered and up to date members. If any athletes sending in images for nomination, are found to have used PWC assist, within the National Park, while surfing in restricted, no-Tow Zones, they will be immediately disqualified and banned from any and all O’Neill events in the future.
Judging Criteria
- Size measurement- We recognize that every person is of different size and stature and when they are crouching in the midst of a turn, there true size measurement needs to adjusted and recorded differently, when judging Wave Height
- Degree of difficulty- We recognize that there is a major difference between the two disciplines and judging criteria is therefore different when judging how you ride a monster Paddle wave vs. a monster Tow wave. We will be judging all awards in regards to placement of the athlete on the wave, entry to the wave, positioning, degree of difficulty and level of commitment, as the main judging criteria. I.e. The degree of difficulty is higher paddling into an 18ft wave than towing into a 25ft wave!
The event will be judged on every swell ridden within the time frame of the year long waiting period, except for the day of when the Red Bull Big Wave Africa is Surfed, hereby keeping the Raw Courage Awards fair to all participants and keeping our event un-biased towards all other athletes not competing in the Red Bull BWA.
Judging panel
We are proud and honored to have such a highly respected and knowledgeable panel of judges.
- Tich Paul-Long Term Surfer, Surf Shop owner & Big Wave Contest judge
- Johnny Paarman- World renowned Big wave charger & BWA Contest Director
- Ant Brodavitz- World renowned South African charger & Worlds champion
Prize giving
All Awards will be handed out at the closing function of the event, which will be at the end of the waiting period. This Awards evening will also signal the opening of the following years Event waiting period.
Each Award explained
The Raw Courage Award (Biggest Paddle wave ridden & completed)
Format: Photograph or Frame Grab
We are looking for the 20ft plus range, for this, the most prestigious award of the event.
There are many 15-18ft waves ridden by the top paddle surfers each year, but only a handful of 20 footers. We would like to honor those watermen who can officially claim they have ridden & successfully tamed a 20ft monster using only there bare hands.
Balls to the Wall Award (Most committed Surfer)
Format: Event Chairman's Choice - No photographic evidence required
This is an Award to a rider who has shown commitment and courage to all his sessions through out the year, whether it be only in South Africa, or abroad. Someone who’s true passion for big waves shines constantly.
They may work full time and only able to make an hour of each session, whether it be through week normal work hours or over weekends. A rider who’s true determination in developing as a big wave charger and pushing his and other’s limits around him, while demonstrating his courage commitment to his passion for Big Surf. I would like to see this award going to the underground charger, who is quietly charging, making a name for themselves and building their reputation, with ever session they have in large surf.
Green Room Award (Best Big Wave Barrel)
Format: Minimum 5 picture Sequence or Video clip
This Award is a true test of commitment and courage under pressure, to Big Wave Surfing.
We do recognize that any paddle surfer that pulls into a 15ft plus barrel and completes the ride, the level of difficulty is extremely high and even though it is a whole lot easier to position yourself for a barrel Tow Surfing, we do realize that a 25-30ft barrel tow surfing still requires huge amounts of courage and commitment.
Therefore, size, entry into the wave, positioning and degree of difficulty will be the major criteria annalysed for this award.
Ultimate Ride Award (Ride of the Year)
Format: Minimum 5 picture Sequence or Video clip
What can you say, The Ultimate Ride Award, it speaks for itself. When you see this wave you will know it straight away.
Biggest Wave Award (Biggest ridden wave of the year)
Format: Photograph or Video Frame Grab
I have little doubt this will be a Tow Surfing nomination and will be judged purely on size, magnitude of the wave and positioning of the Surfer. We look forward to seeing where this Winter will take the level of Monster waves, as South Africa has clearly demonstrated it has possibly the most consistent Big swells on the planet.
To all Surfers & entries, prepare well, charge hard, surf safe and keep the brotherhood of Big Wave camaraderie alive!
Submit your entries >>
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