As if receiving one of the most incredible Pipeline barrels wasn’t enough, Jamie O’Brien was pleasantly surprised at his home on Sunday with a very large check (both in size and in value). A day after the Billabong Pipe Masters window ended, JOB pulled under a near-impossible tube at Pipe that ultimately landed him the very prestigious Wave of the Winter Award and a handsome prize of $25,000.
“I knew it was a real walled up wave,” Jamie told Surfline. “At Pipe, when you know you’re deep you usually don’t make the wave. I was so amazed I made the wave. It’s real humbling [to win].”
The Wave of the Winter judging panel consisted of legendary surfers Gerry Lopez, Pancho Sullivan, Ross Williams and Shawn Briley, who examined several hundreds of entries from the four-month contest period. “Jamie O’Brien and Mason Ho each rode waves this season that were so great, so well-ridden, and so critical that we really agonized over which one should get the nod, Lopez told Surfline. “We went back and forth and, finally, after more consideration than ever in year past, we agreed that Jamie’s ride had bit more time in the tube than Mason’s and that’s what ultimately tipped the scales.”
A huge congratulations to Mason Ho who received The Clif Bar Overall Performance Award. The award was given to the surfer who exhibited, more than any other surfer, outstanding skill, commitment to both the sport and community, courage and style while consistently riding the most challenging waves on the North Shore. Ho received $10,000 and another $10,000 toward to the charity of his choice. Being that Sunset Beach Elementary School was where it all started for him, Mason decided to give back to the community by donating the $10k to his old stomping grounds. Good on Mason and Clif Bar for facilitating such a worthy charity.
