'Death-defying' Wipeout of the Year finalists revealed

The 2020 nominees for the Big Wave Wipeout of the Year Award have been announced and voting is now open on the World Surf League's website.

The world's best surfers - male and female - were invited to enter their most impressive and terrifying wipeouts from March 2019 to March 2020, with the winner decided by a panel of a dozen "extremely respected members of the big wave community" and a public vote.

This year's five nominees are Felipe Cesarano at Nazaré, Portugal (filmed by Pedro Miranda), Keala Kennelly at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii (filmed by Carlo Carbajal), Jerome Sahyoun at Mullaghmore Head, Ireland (filmed by Luke McNee), Torrey Meister at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii (filmed by Carlo Carbajal), and Francisco Porcella at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii (filmed by Carlo Carbajal).

All surfers are in the running to win $US5,000 with $US1,000 to the other four finalists, and the videographers that captured footage of the unbelievable wipeouts are also vying for a $US3,000 first prize, with $US750 to second-fifth prize-winners.

It's the first time the Big Wave Awards will be taking place online mid-year instead of at a gala event in early May as has been the case in past years before the COVID-19 pandemic.

"From two-wave hold downs at Jaws to 70-foot Nazaré bombs on the head to four-story free falls, these are the gnarliest wipeouts from the past year," the WSL said about the event.

The Big Wave Awards in total offer $US350,000 in prizemoney, to "celebrate the most death-defying rides of the season".

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