Surfing News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Surfing's Hardest Charging Stars Shine at 2025 Big Wave Challenge Awards

Originally posted on SURFER | By Jake Howard | Last updated Sep 14, 2025 4:58 PM ET

Twenty-five years ago, the first iteration of the Big Wave Challenge presented by Aquamar went down in Orange County. A quarter century later, it has returned. Celebrating the most heroic efforts of the 2024/25 heavy-water season, the awards ceremony wasn't just an excuse to give out a few trophies and throw back some drinks; it was the big-wave community coming together to say, "We're back ... and we're going even bigger."

From tribal elders like 88-year-old Micky Muñoz, who was among the first to surf Waimea Bay in 1957, to cold-water chargers like Peter Mel, Ken "Skindog" Collins and Greg Long, to today's premier athletes such as Kai Lenny, Justine Dupont and Lucas "Chumbo" Chianca, it was a star-studded night from the jump. But perhaps most indicative of the brave, new world in which we're now surfing was how well represented the next generation was.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SURFER (@surfer_magazine)

At only 23 years young, Santa Cruz's Alo Slebir was the man of the hour as rumors swirled about his potentially record-breaking bomb at Maverick's on December 23, 2024. And while we wait for the official measurement of the wave (currents estimates have it at 76 feet), it was enough to earn him Biggest Wave honors.

"I just want to keep pushing forward, keep surfing big waves, and keep this whole thing going," smiled the humble Santa Cruz hero.

But Slebir wasn't the only young pup in the lineup. Making his way to Southern California all the way from Oostende, Belgium, was Young Gun honoree Kamiel Deraeve. At only 13, he's already been making a name for himself out at Nazare, and as awards host Bill Sharp noted, "He's doing it the right way."

The action at Jaws last winter was well represented thanks to Wilem Banks' Biggest Paddle award, Ty Simpson-Kane's Wipeout of the Year, and Michaela Fregonese's show-stealing performance, which netted her Ride of the Year and Biggest Wave honors. And then there was relative unknown Aussie Tom Myers, who works two jobs just to support his family and surfing habit, taking the win for Ride of the Year for his miraculous wave at Queenscliff Bombie.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SURFER (@surfer_magazine)

The sport's big names were also honored as Muñoz took the stage to award Chianca and Dupont with their Surfer of the Year awards. "Where these surfers are taking things today, we could never have dreamed it," shared the Mongoose.

New to the program this year was the Five Hour Energy One Shot Photo of the Year award, which went to Fred Pompermayer for the image he captured of Mel at Maverick's. Last year Pompermayer was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Big Wave Challenge, and he kept his foot on the gas this year, landing in Half Moon Bay just in time for the monster December swell.

"There's so much that goes into photographing big-wave surfing, there's so much that people don't see. It means everything to be honored and to have this platform for surf photography," Popermayer shared.

With winter looming in the North Pacific and North Atlantic, the next big-wave season is already knocking on the door. What it will bring is anybody's guess, but one thing's for sure, the big-wave surfers around the world will continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible.