SkinDog Skins Two Extra Large Checks at the Billabong XXL Awards 2007

Skindog framegrab - Click to watch the video

XXL Ride of the Year & Monster Tube

Name: Ken “Skindog” Collins
Date: June 17, 2006
Location: Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Growing up in Santa Cruz, an integral component in the Maverick’s scene, not to mention his renown for antics at nearby Ghost Tree, as well as Cortes Bank and Todos Santos. Quick witted, sarcastic as all hell, and one of the most dedicated watermen out there today, Skindog’s spent years chasing swell—and ridiculously filthy pits—down to Puerto Escondido, and obviously, it paid off. When you call a foreboding, frigid, shark-infested, 30-foot torture chamber of a surf spot home, pulling into 20-foot, warm-water tubes in Oaxaca must has got to be like a luxury Mexican vacation.

Surfline Women’s Overall Performance Award

Maya Gabeira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In May of 1995 a 16-year-old kid from Santa Cruz named Jay Moriarty appeared on a dramatic cover of SURFER Magazine. He was getting absolutely crucified by a 20-foot Maverick’s behemoth. On the women’s side of things, this year Brazil’s Maya Gabeira made a similar impact in the world of big-wave riding. While she didn’t grace the cover of any major magazines, she did drop in on some pretty major waves. Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, she wasn’t blessed with tremendous surf resources, but what a difference a few plane tickets can make. She charged hard from behind the boil at Todos Santos, even going so far as to drop in behind the tow-in contingent. Then she migrated north 500 miles and sampled Maverick’s for the first time on one of the biggest days of the year, not only surviving, but straight up charging. One thing is for sure, if a wave comes her way, you better believe she’s going to put her head down, paddle her ass off and take off as deep as she can.