The Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award, which received a record number of big waves surfed this year, announces the finalists for the sixth edition.  In all, 562 waves were entered by athletes from all over the country, proving that the Brazilian coastline is ideal for those who want to venture out on days when the sea is going through hard times.

The states of Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina and Espírito Santo dominate the nominations, with locations that have already become famous among big riders, such as Itacoatiara, in Niterói (RJ), Laje de Jaguaruna (SC) and Barrinha, in Saquarema (RJ). Other points with impressive waves, such as Praia do Silveira (Silveira Beach), in the municipality of Garopaba, in Santa Catarina, Coral do Céu, in Espírito Santo and Laje do Vidigal, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, also feature impressive moments. 

Considered to be one of the main celebrations of national surfing, the award ceremony has three categories, for men and women: Surf, Bodyboard and Bodysurf. Categories are divided in: Biggest Wave of the Year, Best Wave of the Year (Women and Men’s), Best Bodysurfing Wave, Best Bodyboarding Wave and Biggest Wipeout. This year, athletes such as Lucas Chumbo, Michele Des Bouillons, Ian Cosenza, Michaela Fregonese, Pedro Calado, Dudu Pedra, Leopoldo Neto, Will Santana and many others are already finalists in the competition. 

In the main category of the award, Biggest Wave of the Year, the regions of Jaguaruna (SC), Itacoatiara (RJ), Laje do Vidigal (RJ), Barrinha (RJ), Praia do Silveira (SC) and Pontão do Leblon (RJ) are competing with waves surfed by athletes Lucas Chumbo, Fabiano Tissot, Gabriel Sodré, João Paiva, Marcos Monteiro, Olavo Kuhn, Pedro Calado, Thiago Jacaré and Yuri Gonçalves.

"Last year was marked by many extreme moments of nature, in a very atypical period, with a lot of warm days in the winter and several phenomenal hangovers that hit the south and southeast of Brazil, mainly. All the evidence suggests that it will be another year of fierce competition between the various regions of the country and fearless surfers from all over our coastline," says Guilherme Braga, the event's organizer.   

Gala night for sport   

On April 26, the sixth edition of the Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Awards will be presented. The invite-only ceremony will take place in Rio de Janeiro.   

 
Check out the finalists:  

Category - Biggest Wave of the Year Category 

Athlete: Fabiano Tissot - Place: Laje de Jaguaruna (SC) - Cameraman: Bred Oliveira    

Athlete: Gabriel Sodré - Place: Laje do Vidigal/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Fernando Affonso     

Athlete: João Paiva - Place: Laje de Jaguaruna (SC) - Cameraman: Bred Oliveira   

Athlete: Lucas Chumbo - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Yunes Khader

Athlete: Lucas Chumbo - Place: Barrinha/ Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Yunes Khader

Athlete: Marcos Monteiro - Place: Barrinha/ Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Victor Teixeira

Athlete: Olavo Kuhn - Place: Praia da Silveira (Silveira Beach) / Garopada (SC) - Cameraman: Luiz Eduardo Bacchi

Athlete: Pedro Calado - Place:  Pontão do Leblon/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Mateus Werneck

Athlete: Thiago Jacaré - Place: Laje de Jaguaruna (SC) - Cameraman:   Renato Tinoco 

Athlete: Yuri Gonçalves - Place: Praia da Silveira (Silveira Beach) / Garopada (SC)   - Cameraman: Luiz Eduardo Bacchi

Category - Ocyan’s award for Men’s Wave of the Year: 

Athlete: Gabriel Sampaio - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Teo Cury

Athlete: Henrique Vaz - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Gleyson Silva 

Athlete: Ian Cosenza - Place: Praia da Vila (Vila Beach) / Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Igor Galvão

Athlete: Kalani Latanzi - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Gleyson Silva

Athlete: Lucas Chumbo - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Yunes Khader

Athlete: Moises Estevan - Place: Copacabana Beach/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Cadu Paiva

Athlete: Marcos Monteiro - Place: Barrinha/ Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Victor Teixeira

Athlete: Marcos Monteiro - Place: Praia da Vila (Vila Beach) / Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Mateus Werneck 

Athlete: Pedro Calado - Place: Barrinha/ Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Yana Vaz 

Athlete: Will Santana - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Mateus Werneck

Category - Ocyan’s award for Women’s Wave of the Year:

Athlete: Alessandra Marinelli - Place: Barra da Tijuca/Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Gabriel Vieira

Athlete: Alessandra Marinelli - Place: Pontão do Leblon/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Mateus Werneck

Athlete: Ana Gabriela - Place: Vila de Regência / Linhares (ES) - Cameraman: Maria Pessoti

Athlete: Ana Gabriela - Place: Vila de Regência / Linhares (ES) - Cameraman: Yunes Khader

Athlete: Deyse Costa - Place: Tiririca Beach / Itacaré (BA) - Cameraman: Eduardo Calabrese

Athlete: Michaela Fregonese - Place: Barrinha / Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Marcelo Amaral

Athlete: Michaela Fregonese - Place: Barrinha / Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Yunes Khader

Athlete: Michelle Des Bouillons - Place: Itacoatiara / Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Teo Cury

Athlete: Michelle Des Bouillons - Place: Praia da Vila (Vila Beach) / Saquarema (RJ) - Cameraman: Matheus Couti

Athlete: Uxa Zucarelli - Place: Joaquina Beach / Florianópolis (SC) - Cameraman: Marcelo Peixoto

Category - Women’s Best Wave - Bodyboarding: 

Athlete: Camille Oliveira - Place: Praia do Rosa (Rosa Beach) / Imbituba (SC) - Cameraman: Márcio Dja 

Athlete: Clarisse Barros - Place: Recreio Beach/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Jori Queiroz 

Athlete: Ivana Brandão - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Alexandre Pares 

Athlete: Jeane Abby - Place: Prainha/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Nelson Veiga 

Athlete:  Paola Simão - Place: Itacoatiara Beach /Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Lucas Miller 

Category - Men’s Best Wave - Bodyboarding: 

Athlete: Alexandre Cruz - Place: São Conrado Beach/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman:  Liquide 

Athlete: André Majveski - Place: Coral do Céu/ Vila Velha (ES) - Cameraman:  Diego Silva 

Athlete: Antonio Alex - Place: Copacabana Beach/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman:  Henrique Foca - 

Athlete: Pedro Kuster - Place:  Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Yana Vaz

Athlete: Dudu Pedra - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman:  Ronald Rob Toobs 

Athlete: Dudu Pedra - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman:  Criscia Cisconetto 

Athlete: Eric Poseidon - Place: São Conrado Beach/ Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman:  Matheus Couto 

Athlete: Felipe Albuquerque - Place: Leme Beach / Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Henrique Foca 

Athlete: Leopoldo Neto - Place:  São Conrado Beach (RJ) / Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Joel Pesca 

Athlete: Thiago Jatobá - Place: Itacoatiara Beach/ Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Matheus Couto 

Category - Bodysurf 

Athlete: Breno Diniz - Place: São Conrado / Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Rafael Gomes

Athlete: Diogo Farias - Place: São Conrado / Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Joel Pesca

Athlete:  Higor Moura - Place: São Conrado / Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Joel Pesca 

Athlete: Kalani Latanzi - Place: Itacoatiara / Niterói (RJ) - Cameraman: Alexandre Paredes

Athlete: Matheus França - Place: Recreio / Rio de Janeiro (RJ) - Cameraman: Felipe Azevedo

Sponsorships 

The Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award counts on the Master Sponsorship of Ocyan, and is cosponsored by Lyra Navegação and Refix, in addition of being supported by Teccel, Corona Beer and Orthopride, with the partnership of the Media channel Woohoo, Surfguru and website Ricosurf and Extreme Club and Kauza Organization. 

About the Brazilian Ocyan Big Waves Award     

Considered one of the main national surfing awards, the Ocyan Brazilian Big Wave Award aims to choose the best and most impressive waves surfed on the Brazilian coast through photographic and video recordings. In this edition, the competition received 562 applications, which was considered a record in the prize’s history!