Since the addition of the Billabong Girls Best Overall Performance Award in 2004, the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards have showcased the best rides of the year by women right alongside the men. But with this year’s big wave season nearing its climax, the number of entries coming into XXL headquarters has shattered all past records in terms of total entries and number of surfers involved, forcing organizers to add a dedicated section to the event website. All the entries can be seen by clicking here: http://billabongxxl.com/girls%5Fperformance/

Since its inception, the female category has had only two winners: Jamilah Star of Santa Cruz, California, USA, who won the first two years; and Maya Gabeira of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who has won the last three times.

And while that pair of past champions are in the mix once again (including Gabeira at Tahiti’s Teahupoo and Star at Puerto Escondido, Mexico), they are joined by a record number of women pushing the limits of big wave surfing around the world. The entries run the gamut from Layne Beachley’s deep tube at “Ours” in Australia to Savannah Shaugnessey at Mavericks, Mercedes Maidana in Chile and tons of Hawaiian action, including Keala Kennelly, Andrea Moller and Paige Alms at Maui’s legendary Jaws (Pe’ahi). Also impressive is a ride at that break by Kauai’s Bethany Hamilton, the inspirational young surfer who lost an arm to a shark — but clearly proves that taking on a tow rope is well within her remarkable capabilities. To see Hamilton’s ride (or embed it on your website), see the YouTube version here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxKGkjmJkFQ

To see more on the women (and add your own comments), join the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards Facebook Fan Page at
http://www.facebook.com/GLOBALBIGWAVEAWARDS

EVENT SITE MAIN PAGE: www.BillabongXXL.com
Direct links to girls video: http://billabongxxl.com/girls_performance/vid_viewer/vid_index.html
Direct link to girls photos: http://billabongxxl.com/girls_performance/

Lineupexplorers has launched Lineupexplorers.com a new surf travel agency on the internet. We have worked really hard to make this whole project a success and are stoked that we can already present one of the largest selections of surf trips around the world.

Lineupexplorers – the new European surf travel agency – is growing at a rapid rate. They offer the largest selection of surf trips and surf travel packages to surf destinations all over the world and are still growing fast.

Various winter surf destinations are available like Surf Travel Packages to Morocco, Surf Camps in Sri Lanka or the Dominican Republic, Surf Accomodations in the Canary Islands or Philippines, Caroline Islands, Bali and Costa Rica. Awesome all inclusive surf package deals in Morocco are starting at an incredible 20 EUR per surfer and day. But they also have amazing surf trip options for the summer. Surf Boat Trips, Surf Camps, Surf Resorts, Surf Road Trips, Surf & Yoga in various countries such as in the Maldives, Indonesia, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Costa Rica and many more. Check them out. It is worth it.

www.lineupexplorers.com

Surfing Australia will launch into summer with a splash, with the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) unveiling its brand new website today.

The new Surfing Australia website is light years ahead of the previous website in both visual impact and cutting edge programming, and is accompanied by the revamp of the State’s (NSW, VIC, TAS, SA and WA) websites.

The user interface features a full screen high quality image of a deep blue wave with the content designed to seamlessly adjust to the centre of the screen. Navigating the site is easy thanks to an intuitive menu system and instant access to key information from the home page.

Unlike most enterprise style websites that utilise a Flash based rotating news system, the Surfing Australia website employs an advanced code based news system for greater accessibility and security to visitors to the site.

The new website manages to condense a high amount of information without looking the same as other corporate style websites that share a common layout thereby separating the new SA website from the dreaded ‘template’ look.

see the site http://www.surfingaustralia.com/