"You're The Man Now Dog" continued>>

This is hardly to say that Mavericks is the only spot that gets really scary waves. The father of tow-in surfing, Laird Hamilton, showed why he's still the man. As if his antics in Tahiti weren't enough, his wave at Jaws was nothing short of amazing. The power and performance level that Laird has brought into the sport of surfing is unparalleled. He has changed the way big waves are viewed, and ultimately ridden. While in the end his wave didn�t win top honors everybody in attendance was well aware of his impact.

In the end it was the tow team of Mike Parsons and Brad Gerlach at Cortes Banks that brought home the bacon. A tiny underwater island 100 miles off of Dana Point was surfed for the first time this winter. Peter Mel, Ken "Skindog" Collins, Mike Parsons and Brad Gerlach were the first four surfers to ride these offshore beasts. Surf photographer, Flame, has kept an eye on the spot for the past ten years. Due to its exposure to high winds and gigantic swells it has taken that long to get the conditions just right. A few years back the USS Enterprise gouged a huge hole in its hull on Cortes Banks, it is a sailors worst nightmare. It was at this spot that Mike Parsons was whipped into a wave measuring over 70 feet high. Without ever looking back Parsons put Cortes Banks on the big wave map.

This past winter has seen a shift in the focus of big wave ridding from Hawaii to the waters around California. In the original Endless Summer Bruce Brown stated, "California does get big. And it gets biggest during the winter time." Almost 40 years since he spoke those words the prophecy has come true. After reviewing all of the contenders Evan Slater called Greg Noll to the stage to present the award. The crowd of over 800 leapt to their feet to honor him. The gesture struck Noll and he had to pause to compose himself. He seemed so amazed that today's best wave riders welcomed, as he put it, "This old fart" with such graciousness and absolute respect. Whether he surfs anymore or not, he's still "Da' Bull" and always will be. Anybody that has ever slid down the face of a surf or 20 foot wave has a little piece of him in them.

Noll gave a quick speech before calling Parson's name. The crowd erupted into a standing ovation. Parsons was a professional from beginning to end. He held his over-sized check towards the sky as cameras flashed around him. In his acceptance speech he thanked all the right people and touched the crowd when he paid tribute to the three most recent big wave victims: Mark Foo, Donnie Solomon and Todd Chesser. The room was touched by the gesture and knew that the right man had one. Mike Parsons embodied class the night he won surfing's largest purse ever. He split the winnings with his long time surfing friend and tow partner, Brad Gerlach. Had he not "put his boy in the spot" Parsons never would have stood behind the podium.

In a contest like this the winner is the guy that was lucky enough to stumble across the biggest bump of the winter. Any number of people was capable of winning the contest. It is the unpredictable ocean that ultimately decides every surfer's fate. That is what makes wave hunting so great. One never knows when they may stroke, or be pulled into the wave of their life. In the year other Mike Parsons has found his wave. He not only raised his own standard for excellence, but raised the standard around the world for many years to come.

-JH