Kaua‘i’s Malia Manuel has been nominated as the Next Big Thing (Female) for the 17th Annual Surfing Life Peer Poll Awards, to be handed out next month. Each year, Australia’s Surfing Life polls all the surfers from the 2008 Association
Kaua‘i’s Malia Manuel has been nominated as the Next Big Thing (Female) for the 17th Annual Surfing Life Peer Poll Awards, to be handed out next month.
Each year, Australia’s Surfing Life polls all the surfers from the 2008 Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour and asks them who they think are the “Next Big Thing,” the best male and female surfers of the year, best aerial surfer and best tube rider. Nominations were announced Friday.
Manuel last year became the youngest surfer ever to win the U.S. Open of Surfing. Manuel beat fellow Hawai‘i teen surfing star Coco Ho, who is now in her rookie year of competing on the ASP’s World Championship Tour.
O‘ahu’s Carissa Moore and Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons have been nominated in the same category.
O‘ahu’s Melanie Bartels, who recently competed in the finals of the season-opening Roxy Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks against Stephanie Gilmore, has been nominated for Best Female Surfer. Joining her in that category is Gilmore, Silvana Lima, Sofia Mulanovich and Layne Beachly.
Despite announcing his retirement from professional surfing, Bruce Irons received a nomination for Best Tube Rider. He announced early 2008 that that year would be his last, but has accepted wildcard entries for some of this year’s competitions. Irons is up against nine-time world champion Kelly Slater and Australia’s C.J. Hobgood.
Nominations for two additional awards (Most Underrated Surfer and Living Legacy) have not yet been released, but will also be presented on the night.
The gala awards night will be held at Peppers, The Sands Resort in Torquay, and will be attended by the world’s best surfers and the who’s who of the surf industry.
