BajaNews
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Big Wave Finalist
Ross Clarke-Jones rode this wall of water off Todos Santos Island in Mexico to become one of five finalists in the Billabong XXL Big Wave Award.
Photo: Robert Brown
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BajaNews
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http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/height-of-bravery-aussie-du...
By Will Swanton
April 2, 2006
RESPECT, man. That's what Australia's Ross Clarke-Jones and Laurie Towner have earned. When you ride waves of the magnitude of the one pictured above,
there's no one on earth who won't give you the seal of approval.
Clarke-Jones and Towner are finalists in one of the most prestigious awards nights in surfing, the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. Entries came
from epic sessions in Spain, Mexico, California, Chile, Hawaii, Tahiti and Tasmania.
The trick for Clarke-Jones and Towner was not just to ride their bombs, but to have a photographer capture the proof on film.
Clarke-Jones has been nominated for riding the biggest wave. He took the plunge at Todos Santos Island off Ensenada, Mexico, on December 21.
Towner, 19, from Angourie, is in the running for the biggest tube of the year from a "big and dark" pit he snuck into at Shipstern Bluff on Tasmania's
southern tip just a couple of weeks ago.
The winners will be announced in front of 1800 surf industry VIPs at the Grove Theatre in Anaheim, California, on April 14. A panel of experts will
analyse the photos and video clips and determine the largest wave. If Clarke-Jones gets the vote, he'll receive $US1000 ($1400) per foot of the wave
face with a minimum payout of $US60,000.
Last year, Hawaiian Dan Moore cleaned up for a 68-foot beast he caught off Maui.
Towner is up against American big-wave legend Shane Dorian and Raimana Van Bastolaer, who got a tube and narrowly avoided being wiped out by a flying
jet ski in the Tahitian break of Teahupoo.
"There are so many big names get nominated for this, to be in there with those guys is crazy," Towner said.
"I had a feeling I might get nominated but when I found out - amazing. I remember the wave being big and dark, just really dark. I was standing over
the edge, it let me in and it was so dark, and then it spat me out. It's all unbelievable."
Clarke-Jones has a colossal reputation. He takes fearlessness to new extremes. He spent 10 years on the regular World Championship Tour but found his
true calling when big-wave riding took off.
"As I dropped off the tour, I did five years of adventure surfing and my commitment to riding big waves was fortunately in sync with the increasing
popularity within the industry and outside interest from mainstream media," he said.
"When I was a kid, I couldn't be bothered with carrying wax, let alone jet skis and all the equipment involved now.
"I feel wiser, but still have the energy of a 21-year-old. I just don't look in the mirror too often. How you feel is what really matters."
More often than not, Clarke-Jones is feeling brave.
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Tomas Tierra
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UH.....That's a bomb!
I bet San MIguel was head high that day..
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woody with a view
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in the new surfer with the california spread there is a guy going backside at salsipuedes on a macker.....
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Tomas Tierra
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And the misto new tow in spot is off the foul area at the top of San Miguel Island..kind of a no brainer...
can't even immagine how good Salsipuedes was on some of those swells around the new year..AAARRGGHH
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