Slater, Mulanovich Top 2007 Surfer Poll & Video Awards

Sep 12 2007 / Anaheim, CA

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Most of the surfing world converged in Anaheim Tuesday night to honor the top men and women in the sport at the 2007 35th Anniversary Surfer Poll & Video Awards.  More than 2,000 people filled the Grove Theater to cheer on Kelly Slater, who took the top spot for men, and Sofia Mulanovich, the women's favorite.  For Slater it marked his 13th win and his fourth in a row.  It was Mulanovich's third in a row.

"I have to thank Quiksilver which has made this life of mine possible," Slater said as he accepted the award.  "I've been on tour a long time now.  It just never gets old."

Mulanovich thanked her sponsors and friends, but also took the opportunity to dedicate her win to the people of Peru, her home country, which is still recovering from a terrible earthquake last month.

Photo Gallery    Check out photos from the 2007 Surfer Poll & Video Awards, including shots of Mick Fanning (shown with his fiancee above). View the Photo Gallery>

Two of the hottest surfers on the men's and women's tour this season, Mick Fanning and Stephanie Gilmore, found themselves ranked number two in the poll, followed by Andy Irons and newcomer Carissa Moore, who is only 15-years-old.

Several of the top ten men were on hand earlier at the ceremony but were gone by the time their name was announced, including Irons, Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson -- all three are in the first three hears of the second round of the Boost Mobile Pro, which is scheduled to start Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m.  A heat four slot didn't stop Bobby Martinez from accepting his award for being ranked number eight in the poll.  Martinez also won for Best Tuberide from the film "Mixed Tape."

Quiksilver not only had the top award thanks to Slater (Quiksilver's sister brand Roxy is one of Mulanovich's main sponsors) but also had the Movie of the Year with "Young Guns 3," featuring Julian Wilson and Moore, who were honored with Best Male and Female Performance Awards.  The film was followed by "Bra Boys," which had two wins including Best Documentary.

A full list of the poll results and the video award winners follows this story.

The crowd started lining up outside the Grove starting around 6 p.m., well before the scheduled start time of 8 p.m.  The lobby and front courtyard of the theater were packed in short order and while some of the top athletes were pulled to the side for interviews many were able to just get a drink and talk with others from the industry.  There were some younger kids seeking autographs but for the most part everyone was free to work the room.

While there were plenty of bars inside and outside to find one's favorite libation, the only food service was inside the lobby and the line snaked out the door and was the perfect place to carry a conversation or scope the room.  Spotted throughout the evening were most of the top talent from the Foster's ASP Men's and ASP Women's world tour, as well as many WQS surfers, including Slater, Martinez, Andy and Bruce Irons, the Hobgood brothers, Taj Burrow, Joel Parkinson, Dane Reynolds, Jordy Smith, Sunny Garcia, Mulanovich, Gilmore, Rebecca Woods, Karina Petroni and Anastasia Ashley,

The show began around 8:15 p.m. and by then the nearly 100 tables were jammed with attendees, while the standing-room only section in the back was half-full.  The main tables were bought up by key brands like Quiksilver, Boost, Hurley, Roxy, Red Bull and others that were willing to pay $1,500 each (with proceeds going to two different charities, the USA Surf Team and Da Friends of Jeannie Chesser).

The ceremony was hosted by Sal Masakela and Benji Weatherly who introduced several gues presenters when not presenting the awards themselves.  The first presenter of the night was skateboarder Jake Brown, who survived a fall of nearly 50 feet at last month's X Games.  Brown received a standing ovation from the crowd and went on to introduce the "Worst Wipeout" award, which was won by Bra Boy Ritchie Vas for a huge slam that left him with a bloody gash in his neck.  Vas wasn't on hand to accept, but a naked friend accepted the award for him, setting the table for the tone of the night -- irreverent and fun. 

Brown wasn't the only skateboarder to present.  Ryan Sheckler received a mixed response when introducing Best Male Performance.  Other presenters included surfer/stunt man Brock Little, tennis player Mark Philippoussis and South African surfing legend Shaun Tomson.  The night wasn't only about the awards -- the band Angels & Airwaves played a short set and a short video news spoof kept the audience entertained.

The spoof, a regular feature of the awards, featured three segments including the Hobgood brothers involved in a lawsuit with one another, a Kelly Slater identity theft case (Peter King in a Baywatch shirt doing the job) and Rob Machado getting involved in a case of paddle surf rage.

The night featured mostly short thank you speeches, with few surprises.  Legendary shaper Al Merrick received two shout-outs (from Kelly Slater and Rob Machado) and the 9/11 anniversary was also brought up. 

After the show ended around 10:30 p.m. many  of the winners remained in the theater to accept congratulations while most of the crowd filtered into the lobby and courtyard, where a DJ played and a dance floor was waiting.  Within minutes, it was full and there wasn't any doubt the party was going to go as long as possible -- at least for those who didn't have to make the trip to Trestles in the morning.

2007 35th Anniversary Surfer Poll & Video Awards - Full Results

Top 10 Men
1. Kelly Slater
2. Mick Fanning   
3. Andy Irons 
4. Taj Burrow    
5. Bruce Irons
6. Rob Machado
7. Joel Parkinson
8. Bobby Martinez
9. Damien Hobgood
10. CJ Hobgood

Top 5 Women
1. Sofia Mulanovich
2. Stephanie Gilmore
3. Carissa Moore
4. Chelsea Hedges
5. Layne Beachley
     
Movie Of The Year
Young Guns 3 - winner
Mixed Tape
Down The Barrel
Sipping Jetstreams
Trilogy

Heavy Water Award presented by Toña Cerveza
Laurie Towner (Frothing) - winner
Mark Mathews (Bra Boys)
Shane Dorian (The Game)
Brad Gerlach (Headfirst)
Garrett McNamara (The Mahlchers Suitcase)

Worst Wipeout
Richie Vas (Bra Boys) - winner
Laurie Towner (Frothing)
Jason Frederico (Pipeline Posse)
Daniel Couto (Absolute Mexico)
Andy Irons (Trilogy)

Most Radical Maneuver
Eric Geiselman (All In The Family) - winner
Jordy Smith (Frothing)
Clay Marzo (Young Guns 3)
Julian Wilson (Young Guns 3)
Dane Reynolds (Young Guns 3)

Best Female Performance Nominees
Carissa Moore (Young Guns 3) - winner
Sofia Mulanovich (Peel: The Peru Project)
Bethany Hamilton (Heart Of A Soul Surfer)

Best Male Performance Nominees
Julian Wilson (Young Guns 3) - winner
Andy Irons (Trilogy)
Taj Burrow (Trilogy)
Bobby Martinez (Mixed Tape)
Dane Reynolds (Young Guns 3)

Best Tuberide
Bobby Martinez (Mixed Tape) - winner
Ken "Skindog" Collins (Absolute Mexico)
Cory Lopez (Absolute Mexico)
Andy Irons (Trilogy)
Koby Abberton (Bra Boys)

Best Documentary
Bra Boys - winner
The Lost Wave
Can¹t Keep Me Down
Heart Of A Soul Surfer
Down The Barrel

Best Cinematography
Down The Barrel - winner
Sipping Jetstreams
One California Day
Thread
Peel: The Peru Project

Photo of the Year
Mick Fanning in Tahiti (Jon Frank) - winner

Breakthrough Performer
Jordy Smith - winner