Gabriel Villaran nominated for the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards
Peruvian Gabriel Villaran was nominated for the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. Villaran surfed a huge 20 feet plus wave at El Buey, Northern Chile, on June 20th. Nine months later, he received the great news that he was one of the five surfers selected to compete for a $15,000 prize.2006 Pan American Surfing Champion, 2006 Monster Energy Pipeline Pro finalist and 2005 Latin American Surfing Champion, Villaran, is regarded as one of Latin America best all around surfers. He can easily fly at one foot beach breaks, ride Pipeline with great style or drop huge Waimea bombs.
Villaran told www.olasperu.com Editor, Oscar Tramontana: I´m so stoked to put once again the name of my country on an international level, to represent all the beautiful people of my country, this is what motivates us to keep going. Really, I am so happy.
The five Monster Paddle Award Nominees
Gabriel Villarán (Lima, Perú) at El Buey, Arica, Chile on June 20, 2006 (Photos by Kai Benson)
Ben Andrews (San Francisco, California, USA) at Maverick’s, Half Moon Bay, California on December 11, 2006 (Photos by Don Montgomery and Frank Quirarte; Video by Larry Haynes)
Garrett McNamara (Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA) at Maverick’s, Half Moon Bay, California on December 14, 2006 (Video by Ryan Casey)
Axier Muniain (Zarautz, Spain) at Playa Gris, Spain on November 29, 2006 (Photos by Pablo Azkue; Video by Manex Artola)
Dave Wassel (Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA) at Maverick’s, Half Moon Bay, California on December 15, 2006 (Photos by Fred Pompermeyer; Video by Larry Haynes)
The Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards will take place at the Anaheim Grove Theater on April 13th, where a private 2,000 invitees prize ceremony will take place.
Check out Gabriel´s wave at El Buey at: http://xxl.billabong.com/
Check out Gabriel Villaran at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEs1Y3CYQcM and also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKdcVxicBB0 or check his webpage: http://www.gabrielvillaran.com/