Natxo Gonzalez, nominado a los WSL Big Wave Awards

Natxo Gonzalez sigue recotgiendo las frutos de la impresionante ola que surfeó en Nazaré durante el Nazaré Challenge y ha sido eligido como uno de los finalistas en la categoría de "Ride of the Year" en los premios que anualmente reparte el WSL.

La ola surfeada el 16 de noviembre le ha valido una clasificación para estar entre los mejores surfistas de olas grandes del mundo la próxima temporada, y le puede valer también el conseguir este afamado galardón que además lleva asociado un premio de 65.000 dólares.

Natxo luchará junto con Grant Baker, Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny y el chileno Ramón Navarro por conseguir este título.

Este año ha existido un encendido debate sobre algunos nominados debido a que no consiguieron finalizar la ola, y aún cayéndose fueron elegidos. Billy Kemper, por ejemplo, fue elegido por su actuación en el Peahi Challenge pese a que no finalizó la ola.

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@wsl @wslbigwave award nominations are in haha. Every year I think it’ll be different and I end up feeling just like Dwight above. Taking nothing away from any of the surfers nominated, they are all the best of best obviously but in my opinion falling shouldn’t count and towing shouldn’t be compared to paddling. I can’t believe @biancavalenti and @nicvonrupp waves were no where (as well as a few others and also mine haha). I swear this needs to change, just for the longevity of our sport as a whole. We should encourage the next generation to SURF big waves not survive them. It’s a weird thing to tell the next generation that it’s okay to fall in life threatening situations. Just one persons thoughts on a subjective sport, if I offended you just take comfort in knowing I’m pouting from a hospital in a land locked state and won’t be winning any awards. But also deal with it cause I’m going nowhere 🤗

Una publicación compartida de Albee Layer (@live.fast.die.old) el 11 Abr, 2019 a las 7:59 PDT

En un post Albee Layer, criticaba las nominaciones de este año. "Sin quitarle nada a ninguno de los surfistas nominados, todos son lo mejor de lo mejor, obviamente, pero en mi opinión, caer no debería contar y ser remolacado no debería compararse con remar la ola", aseguraba. "No puedo creer que las olas de @biancavalenti y @nicvonrupp no estuvieran nominadas en ninguna categoría..."


NOMINADOS AL PREMIO RIDE OF THE YEAR
Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii, on November 26, 2018 (Video by Carlo Carbajal)
Natxo Gonzalez (Basque Country, Spain) at Nazaré, Portugal, on November 16, 2018 (Video by Jon Aspuru)
Billy Kemper (Maui, Hawaii) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 26, 2018 (Video by Johnny Decesare)
Kai Lenny (Maui, Hawaii) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 26, 2018 (Video by Ryan Johnson)
Ramon Navarro (Pichimelu, Chile) at Cloudbreak on May 22, 2018 (Video by Taylor Curran)

NOMINADOS AL PREMIO MEN’S XXL BIGGEST WAVE
Carlos Burle (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 26, 2018 (Photos by Martin Caprile, Dooma Photos, Aaron Lynton and Randy Sorrow. Video by Carlo Carbajal)
Tom Butler (Newquay, United Kingdom) at Nazaré, Portugal, on December 14, 2018 (Photos by Pedro Cruz, Jorge Leal, Manuel Ricardo and Rafael G. Riancho. Video by Jorge Leal)
Kai Lenny (Maui, Hawaii) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 26, 2018 (Photos by Martin Caprile, Mike Coots, Ryan Craig, Robin Ernst, Aaron Lynton and Randy Sarrow. Video by Marcus Rodrigues)
Sebastian Steudtner (Nuremburg, Germany) at Nazaré, Portugal on February 7, 2019 (Photo by Pedro Miranda. Video by Pedro Miranda)
Anthony Tashnick (Santa Cruz, California) at Mavericks, California, on December 17, 2018 (Photos by Fred Pompermayer and Frank Quirarte. Video by Benjamin Ginsberg)

NOMINADAS AL PREMIO WOMEN’S XXL BIGGEST WAVE
Justine Dupont (Segnoisse, France) at Nazaré, Portugal, on November 9, 2018 (Photos by Mike Jones and Pedro Vilela. Video by Antione Chicoye)
Justine Dupont (Segnoisse, France) at Nazaré, Portugal on November 18, 2018 (Photos by Rafael G. Riancho and Shannon Reporting. Video by the WSL Team)
Nicole Pacelli (Guarujá, Brazil) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii, on January 12, 2019 (Video by Marcus Rodrigues)

NOMINADOS AL PREMIO MEN’S BIGGEST PADDLE
Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii, on November 26, 2018 (Photos by Adam Carbajal, Dooma Photos, Robin Ernst, Richard Hallman, Aaron Lynton and Kenny Morris)
Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) at Mavericks, California, on December 17, 2018 (Photos by Tony Canadas, Elijah Crowell and Benjamin Ginsberg)
Pedro Calado (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil) at Nazaré, Portugal, on November 18, 2018 (Video by Laurent Pujol)
Nathan Florence (Oahu, Hawaii) at Mavericks, California, on December 17, 2018 (Photos by Elijah Crowell, Benjamin Ginsberg and Todd Turner. Video by Elijah Crowell)
Billy Kemper (Maui, Hawaii) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii, on November 26, 2018 (Erik Aeder, Matin Caprile, Ryan Craig, Robin Ernst and Aaron Lynton. Video by WSL Team)

NOMINADAS AL PREMIO WOMEN’S BIGGEST PADDLE WORLD RECORD
Paige Alms (Haiku, Hawaii) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on October 9, 2012 (Photos by Erik Aeder and Fred Pompermayer. Video by Elliot Leboe)
Justine Dupont (Segnoisse, France) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 26, 2018 (Photos by Ryan Craig, Dooma Photos and Richard Hallman. Video by Antione Chicoye.)
Andrea Moller (Ilhabelha, Brazil) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on January 16, 2016 (Photos by Keale Lemos and Fred Pompermayer. Video by Elliot Leboe)

NOMINADOS AL PREMIO WIPEOUT OF THE YEAR
Surfer 1st place prize $3,000 - Videographer 1st place prize $3,000