Into the jaws of a monster Media Man Int

Into the jaws of a monster - 20th April 2004
(Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)

Holy crap, Pete ... that was a bomb! They were the exact words used by Pete Cabrinha's tow-in driver, Rush Randle, after the revered Hawaiian waterman dropped into a 70-foot (21.5 metre) left-handed monster of a wave at Jaws on January 10.

Randle was right, almost. It was more than a bomb. It was big enough to get Cabrinha into the Guinness Book of Records for the largest wave ever ridden.

On the day Australia's Joel Parkinson secured a sizeable new sponsorship deal, Cabrinha's fearless effort was given official status at the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards in California.

Parkinson's victory at last week's Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach bore fruit when Billabong gave him a multi-million dollar deal for the next five years.

Cabrinha was also swelling with pride as he collected a cheque for $95,000 for his ride of a lifetime at Jaws, a frightening break off the north shore of Maui.

He was given a standing ovation by a crowd of 1500 people at the Grove Theatre in Anaheim. The announcement was especially well received because 42-year-old Cabrinha has long been regarded as a pioneer of tow-in surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.

"It was the first time this winter I surfed Jaws and it was on a brand-new board, so I asked my partner Rush to tow me into a little warm-up wave," said Cabrinha.

"But when we took the jet ski outside of the break this set came in and we basically claimed it as ours.

"Most people go right at Jaws, but on this day some of the lefts looked bigger and cleaner so that's the way I went.

"The board ended up working pretty well and when I kicked out, Rush looked at me and went, 'Holy crap, Pete ... that was a bomb!'"

Cabrinha's wave beat those ridden at Jaws by Brazilian Danilo Couto and Hawaiian pair Archie Kalepa and Ian Walsh. California's Greg Long was another finalist for a wave he caught at the Cortes Bank, 140km off San Diego.

Maui-based photographer Erik Aeder won $6500 for his "definitive image" of Cabrinha in full flight.

The previous record for the biggest wave belonged to Brazilian Carlos Burle, whose 68 footer (20.8 metre) at Mavericks won the XXL Award in 2002.

The 'Monster Tube of the Year' award and its $6500 bounty went to Malik Joyeaux of French Polynesia for an amazing barrell at Teahupo'o, Tahiti, last April.

Parkinson's first child is due next month and his financial future is now secure.

"To have the backing of Billabong is awesome," he said.

"I've been with them since I was 11. It's funny, really, because now my life's about to change with the birth of my baby with Monica and it's just great to know that through those changes and in the long term I will have the support of Billabong."

AAP

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The Billabong Odyssey, a quest to ride the hundred foot wave..

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