COURTESY OF ROBERT BROWN / BILLABONGXXL.COM Dan Moore, 48, of Sunset Beach won the 2005 Billabong XXL Award on Dec. 15 with this 68-foot wave at "Jaws" on Maui.

Billabong restricts Maui big-wave surf contest

WAILUKU » At $1,000 per foot of wave, even novices put their lives on the line trying to catch the world's biggest wave at Maui's legendary "Jaws" surfing site last year, where monster surf often reaches six stories in height.

The Billabong surf company paid a cool $68,000 to the surfer who rode the biggest wave -- yes, a 68-footer -- last year.

The winter waves are back and so is the contest, but don't expect to hit the water uninvited. The Billabong XXL Wave Awards is now by invitation only. And that even means the audience.

Jaws' monster waves are internationally known, but with fame come problems. What was once a quiet surfing spot now buzzes with dozens of surfers and their personal watercraft.

And that was only part of the problem during last December's contest, when thousands of spectators perched from 200-foot cliffs to watch the surfers and as many as five helicopters filmed the action below.

That is why organizers now are concentrating on a one-day "expression session" at Peahi, with only 12 two-person teams invited to ride the waves.

Graham Stapelberg, Billabong's vice president of marketing, said the change was made to reduce the number of surfers in the contest. And because the day of competition will be chosen in advance, there are no guarantees of monster waves.

"It might be that on that day, it might not be as big as previous days, but that's just the way it's going to be," Stapelberg said. Billabong will not announce the event to keep spectators away.

He said qualified surfers continue to be eligible to compete for the big-wave award at other surfing sites on any day. Jaws is just one of several spots around the world where surfers try to catch big waves in the Billabong contest.

The format change follows mounting criticism of the event, which has attracted too many surfers, including those not qualified to be riding big waves.

On Dec. 15 of last year, 70 two-man teams, each with a personal watercraft, were riding big waves at Peahi. One rider was injured and required medical attention when a watercraft struck him in big surf.

"That was bad," said big-wave surfer David Kalama, who has been riding Jaws waves since 1992.

"I think we were all fortunate that on that day nothing serious happened," he said.

Kalama, whose teammate is big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton, said the last three Billabong XXL Wave Award winners have won by riding big waves at Jaws, and he feels Billabong should think about giving Jaws a rest for one or two years. The 2004-05 Billabong big-wave winner was Dan Moore, who rode a 68-foot wave at Jaws.

Kalama said putting Jaws off the list could encourage tow-in surfers to look elsewhere for the big waves.

The Sixth Annual Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards runs through the end of March and acknowledges those surfers with extraordinary achievements over the prior 12 months.

The 2005/2006 Billabong awards also include a $10,000 prize to the surfer for the biggest wave caught using arm power alone and a $5,000 award for the best big-wave barrel ride.

For rules, judging criteria and all event details and particulars, see www.BillabongXXL.com.