After record number of entries, Brazilian Ocyan Big Wave Award reaches its 6th edition

Considered one of the main celebrations of national surfing, the competition launches an official website and announces the opening of registration 

Beautiful beaches from the north to the south of the country and huge waves to surf. If you like this scenario, you’d better get ready, because the Brazilian Ocyan Big Wave Award is back! After holding the biggest celebration in its history in 2023, the event, which awards the most impressive performances on the biggest waves on the Brazilian coast, is back for its 6th edition. And it comes with a double dose of news: the launch of the official website for the 2024 Brazilian Ocyan Big Wave Award and the opening of registration for the competition considered one of the main celebrations of national surfing.

On the www.brasileirodeondasgrandes.com.br portal , professional and amateur surfers, as well as photographers and videographers, will have the opportunity to submit their photo or video recordings of the biggest waves surfed in three categories, male and female: Surfing, Bodyboarding and Bodysurfing. The categories are: Biggest Wave of the Year, Best Wave of the Year -female and male, Best Bodysurf Wave, Best Bodyboard Wave and Biggest Cow. Registration will be open until March 31st. Waves surfed between 01/04/23 and 31/03/24 can be entered.

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

According to Guilherme Braga, organizer of the event, “Last year was marked by many extreme moments of nature in a very atypical year with a lot of heat in the winter in the southeast and several phenomenal hangovers that hit the south of Brazil and the coast of Rio mainly. Recently, at the turn of the year, we also had strong waves in Noronha, which shows that it’s going to be another year of fierce competition between the different regions of the country and fearless surfers from all over Brazil.”

Once again, the event will open doors for local surfers from any region of Brazil to have the opportunity to compete against nationally renowned athletes. In addition, the Prize continues to prove that the Brazilian coastline has big waves to give and sell. The finalists will be announced at the beginning of April and the awards ceremony will take place in Rio de Janeiro in April.

Athletes open the year with international victory

Big riders and world-renowned watermen such as Lucas Chumbo, Michelle Des Bouillons and Pedro Scooby have already started the year collecting victories. The boys have just won the title of best duo and Chumbo also won the men’s individual at the Nazaré Giant Wave event in Portugal. Michele Des Bouillons is also warming up. The athlete won second place in the women’s individual event in Nazaré.

All three were present at the last edition of the Brazilian Ocyan Big Wave Awards. On that occasion, Chumbo won in the best cow category for a wave surfed at Laje de Gardenal, in Rio de Janeiro, and Michele came third in the Ocyan Female Wave of the Year category , when she faced the waters of Laje de Manitiba, also in Rio de Janeiro. Scooby was at the venue and enjoyed the awards ceremony with his 11-year-old son Dom.

Sponsorship

The Prêmio Brasileiro Ocyan de Ondas Grandes is sponsored by Ocyan and co-sponsored by Lyra Navegação, Canal Woohoo and Site Ricosurf, Kauza and Extreme Club.

“Supporting this award for the third consecutive year is not only to encourage one of Brazil’s most popular and democratic sports, surfing, but also to reinforce our love for the sea, our terrain, where all the energy and vocation of Ocyan and its businesses come from,” celebrates André Luiz Barros, Ocyan’s Communications, Social Responsibility and Diversity manager.

Check out the winners of each category in 2023:

Biggest Wave of the Year 

1st place

Athlete: Paulo Moura – Cameraman: Humberto Ferreira – Local: Naufragados SC

2nd place

Athlete: Ian Concenza – Cinematographer: Renan Vignoli – Local: Laje de Manitiba RJ

3rd place

Athlete: Gabriel Sampaio – Cameraman: Pedro Rolon – Local: Itacoatiara RJ

Ocyan Men’s Wave of the Year

1st place

Athlete: Guilherme Hilel – Cameraman: Matheus Couto – Local: Barrinha RJ

2nd place

Athlete: João Chianca – Cameraman: Matheus Couto – Local: Barrinha RJ

3rd place

Athlete: Pedro Calado – Cameraman: Matheus Couto – Local: Itacoatiara RJ

Ocyan Women’s Wave of the Year

1st place

Athlete: Michaela Fragonese – Cameraman: Cesar Aiello – Local: Itacoatiara RJ

2nd place

Athlete: Alessandra Marinelli – Cameraman: Renan Vignoli – Local: Laje de Manitiba RJ

3rd place

Athlete: Michele Des Bouillons – Cameraman: Renan Vignoli – Local: Laje de Manitiba RJ

Best Cow

1st place

Athlete: Lucas Chumbo – Cameraman: Yunes Khader – Local: Laje de Gardenal RJ

Best Female Bodyboard Wave 

1st place

Athlete: Camille Oliveira – Cameraman: Matheus John – Local: Rosa Sul SC

Melhor Onda Bodyboard Masculino 

1st place

Athlete: Dudu Pedra – Cameraman: Caio Amaral – Local: Itacoatiara RJ

Melhor Onda Bodysurf 

1st place

Athlete: Kalani Latanzi– Cinegrafista:  Matheus Couto- Local: Itacoatiara RJ
 

About the Brazilian Ocyan Large Wave 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 the 2023 edition, the competition received 471 entries, which was considered a record in the history of the award!