Beautiful beaches from the north to the south of the country and huge waves to surf. Those who like this scenario should get prepared, for Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award is back! After its greatest celebration ever in 2023, the 6th edition of the event, which rewards the most impressing performances in the biggest waves of the Brazilian coast, is on. And it comes with two big news: the release of the official website of Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award 2024 and the beginning of applications to the competition considered as one of the main celebrations in national surfing.

In the portal www.brasileirodeondasgrandes.com.br, professional and amateur surfers, as well as photographers and videographers, will have the opportunity to submit photo or video recordings of the biggest waves surfed in three categories, for women and men: Surf, Bodyboard and Bodysurf. Categories are divided into: Biggest Wave of the Year, Best Wave of the Year (Women and Men’s), Best Bodysurfing Wave, Best Bodyboarding Wave and Biggest Wipeout. Applications will be open until March 31st. Waves surfed from 04/01/23 to 03/31/24 may be registered.

Last year, the competition received almost 500 applications. The overwhelming majority of the registrations were from the state of Rio de Janeiro, followed by Espírito Santo, Santa Catarina, Bahia, São Paulo and Pernambuco. There was also a record of female participation, more than 75 big waves surfed by women, in addition to the resounding reach of more than 28 million people on social networks.  This year, the organization aims to keep beating the records from previous editions by increasing the number of registrations and the presence of female surfers. 

According to Guilherme Braga, organizer of the event, “Last edition was marked by many extreme nature moments, in a quite atypical year with a hot winter in the Southeast region, and with several phenomenal undertows reaching the South region of the country and especially the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Recently, during the turn on the year, we had strong waves in Fernando de Noronha too. These indications show that 2024 will be another year of fierce competition among the different regions of Brazil and fearless surfers all the country around.”

Once again, the event will provide local surfers from any region of Brazil with the opportunity of competing with the national big riders. In addition, the Award keeps proving that the Brazilian coast does have a lot of big waves. Finalists will be announced in early April, and the awarding ceremony will be held in Rio de Janeiro in the same month.  

Athletes start the year with an international conquest 

Big riders and Watermans renowned worldwide, such as Lucas Chumbo, Michelle des Bouillons and Pedro Scooby have already celebrated victories this years. The boys conquered the title of best duo, and Chumbo also won the individual male category of the Nazaré Big Waves event, in Portugal. Michele des Bouillons is warming up too. The athlete conquered the second place in the individual female category in Nazaré. 

The three surfers participated in the past edition of the Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award. Back then, Chumbo won the category Biggest Wipeout for surfing a wave in Laje de Gardenal, in Rio de Janeiro. Michele won the third position in the female category Ocyan Wave of the Year, after facing the waters of Laje de Manitiba, also in Rio de Janeiro. Scooby, in turn, was present in the ceremony with his 11-year-old son, Dom.

Sponsorships

The Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award counts on the Master Sponsorship of Ocyan, and is cosponsored by Lyra Navegação. The media partners are Mídia Canal Woohoo and Site Ricosurf, and the organizers are Kauza and Extreme Club.

“Supporting this award for the third consecutive year means not only stimulating one of the most popular and democratic sports in Brazil, surf, but also reinforcing our love for the sea, the place from which Ocyan gets the energy and vocation to do business,” celebrates André Luiz Barros, Communication, Social Responsibility and Diversity Manager at Ocyan.

About the Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award

Considered as one of the main awards in national surfing, the Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award aims at choosing the best and most impressive waves surfed on the Brazilian coast through photographic and video recording. In 2023 edition, the competition received 471 applications, which was considered a record in the prize’s history!