Surfer Poll Awards

Surfer Poll Awards
Name	Surfer Poll Awards
Awarded for	Annual recognition in surfing
Presenter	Surfer magazine
Country	United States
First awarded	1964

Surfer Poll Awards The Surfer Poll Awards are an annual set of honors presented by Surfer magazine recognizing achievements in professional surfing, big wave riding, longboarding, shortboarding, photography, film, and industry contributions. Originating in the 1960s, the awards have intersected with figures and institutions across surfing, media, and coastal communities, shaping reputations among surfers, shapers, sponsors, and event organizers.

History

Surfer magazine launched the poll amid the rise of figures such as Duke Kahanamoku, Mick Fanning, Kelly Slater, Gerry Lopez, Tom Curren, Andy Irons and publications like Rolling Stone that documented youth culture; early lists included names tied to surf spots like Waikiki, Pipeline, Teahupo'o and Cloudbreak. During the 1970s and 1980s the poll reflected shifts driven by competitors from events such as the ASP World Tour, Quiksilver Pro France, Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and media produced by companies like Billabong, Quiksilver, O'Neill and Hurley. The 1990s and 2000s saw winners influenced by sponsors such as Red Bull, Monster Energy, Volcom and outlets like Surfer Today, Transworld Surf and broadcasters including ESPN, NBC Sports, Fox Sports that expanded coverage. As big wave venues including Mavericks, Jaws (Peahi), Nazare and Shipstern Bluff gained prominence, riders like Garrett McNamara, Ian Walsh, Chris Bertish and Mark Healey rose in poll visibility. The awards have paralleled the development of surf film festivals such as Newport Beach Film Festival, San Diego Surf Film Festival, Surfers' Journal Festival and publications such as Stab Magazine, The Surfers Journal.

Categories and Criteria

Categories historically have included Male Surfer of the Year, Female Surfer of the Year, Big Wave Award, Best Wipeout, Longboarder of the Year, Breakthrough Performer, Surfer of the Year, Photo of the Year, Video of the Year, and Industry Person of the Year. Winners often emerge from competition results at events like the ISA World Surfing Games, World Surf League Finals, ISA World SUP and Paddleboard Championship and from performances at iconic breaks such as Rincon, Supertubos, Hossegor and Uluwatu. Criteria draw on achievements in contests like Pipe Masters, Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, Tahiti Pro Teahupo'o and editorial assessments from contributors associated with outlets like Surfer Magazine, Stab, Surfline, Magicseaweed and BeachGrit.

Nomination and Voting Process

Nominees have been generated from editorial panels, reader ballots, and industry input involving figures linked to organizations such as World Surf League, International Surfing Association, Association of Surfing Professionals, Surfers' Hall of Fame and surf brands including RVCA and Patagonia. Voting mechanisms have varied over time between mail-in ballots, magazine inserts, phone voting and online polls hosted on platforms associated with media partners like YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram and Facebook. Ballot categories often reference achievements at events like Surf Ranch Pro, Corona Open J-Bay, MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal and film premieres at festivals including Sundance Film Festival and SXSW when surf documentaries compete for attention.

Notable Winners and Records

Multiple-time honorees include surfers connected to lineages and rivalries like Tom Carroll, Layne Beachley, Stephanie Gilmore, Tyler Wright, Carissa Moore, Julian Wilson and John John Florence who also competed at Olympic events under Tokyo 2020. Big wave awardees often include names tied to extreme sessions at Nazare and Mavericks such as Rodrigo Koxa, Andrew Cotton, Grant "Twiggy" Baker and Jamie Mitchell. Photographers and filmmakers honored have included contributors associated with companies and festivals like Bruce Brown, Jack McCoy, Chris Burkard, Taylor Steele, Jack Johnson (as film subject), Taylor Knox (as subject) and production houses like Teton Gravity Research. Industry awards have recognized leaders from surfboard shaping traditions connected to shapers such as Al Merrick, Bob McTavish, Darren Handley and brands like Channel Islands Surfboards, Lost Surfboards, Rusty Surfboards.

Impact on Surfing Culture and Industry

The awards have influenced sponsorship decisions by companies including Quiksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl, ROXY, Vans and Nike SB, affecting athlete marketability and event invitations from promoters of contests like Surf City Pro and US Open of Surfing. Editorial coverage in outlets such as Surfer Magazine, Stab, Transworld Surf and The Inertia has amplified winners’ profiles, feeding into film projects premiered at Cannes Film Festival sidebars and brand partnerships with corporations like Red Bull Media House and Sony Music for cross-promotion. The poll has also shaped narratives around locations such as Hawaii, Australia, Portugal, Tahiti and California and helped promote surf tourism linked to operators and destinations featured by travel publications like National Geographic and Lonely Planet.

Controversies and Criticism

Criticisms have focused on perceived biases toward athletes sponsored by large corporations such as Red Bull, Quiksilver and Rip Curl, disputes over gender representation paralleling debates in organizations like World Surf League and controversies similar to those involving media outlets like Vice Media and ESPN about editorial independence. Debates have arisen when nominations overlooked grassroots contributors from communities in places like Bali, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Raglan and Noosa and when winners were perceived to reflect popularity instead of merit, echoing controversies in award systems like Oscars and Grammys. Legal and ethical issues have surfaced in public discourse connecting to incidents involving athletes linked to incidents reported in outlets such as The New York Times and The Guardian.

Statistics and Award Trends

Trends show increasing recognition of female surfers from lineages and competitive circuits including ISA, WSL Challenger Series and regional tours in Europe, Asia and South America. Data from historical tallies indicate concentration of wins among athletes associated with brands Channel Islands, Patagonia, Vans and Billabong, and geographic clustering around breaks like Pipeline, Teahupo'o, Supertubos and Mavericks. Photographic and film awards have shifted toward digital platforms like Instagram, YouTube and Vimeo supplanting print-dominated eras represented by Surfer Magazine and Stab Magazine. Statistical analyses mirror patterns observed in sports awards systems administered by bodies like FIFA, IOC and ATP—with cycles influenced by major event outcomes and media visibility.

Category:Surfing awards