2023 Wipeout of the Year Winner: Danny Griffiths Pays His Dues With Massive Shipstern Dive

Big-wave surfing is about trying to catch and complete the largest and best waves one can find, but the fact of the matter is that not every wave ends well. It’s also a fact that everyone loves a good wipeout (or almost everyone depending on one's perspective). And if a great wipeout ends without any damage to the surfer, then it can be considered for the Big Wave Challenge Wipeout of the Year Award.

This year’s champion is a local at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania, home to one of the heaviest waves on the planet—a mutant beast noted for producing often non-negotiable “steps” or mini-waves down its face.

Tassie lad Danny Griffiths gave it his best shot, but Shipstern flexed all its muscles at once, sending him deep into Davy Jones’s locker to think about what he did wrong. Griffiths was truly a deserved recipient of the 2023 BWC Wipeout of the Year trophy. 

Video: Talon Clemow