Twiggy Snaps XXL Record

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Baker, 36, who hails from Durban, has been selected as one of five finalists in each of the categories for the Billabong XXL Ride of the Year, the Monster Paddle, the Monster Tube, the Surfline Best Overall Performance and the Verizon Wireless Wipeout of the Year.

“I couldn’t be happier,” said Baker, who won the Billabong XXL Biggest Wave and the Surfline Best Overall Performance awards last year.

“The Ride of the Year is where the biggest cash is, the Overall Performance is judged by your peers, I love barrels so to be nominated for that is an honour and nobody really wants to win the Wipeout award.”

“I am most proud about being nominated for the Monster Paddle because the crew has definitely been focusing on paddling into the biggest possible waves for the past couple of years. One thing for sure is that whoever picks up that award this year will have paddled into the biggest wave ever.”

Baker received his nominations for the Ride of the Year, Monster Paddle and Monster Tube awards for waves he rode at Mavericks in California in February during the Mavericks Surf Contest. His Wipeout took place during a tow in session at Jaws on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Xmas day while his exploits in South Africa, Chile – where he won a big wave event, Hawaii, California, Mexico, the Cortes Bank and Tahiti earned him an Overall Performance nomination for the second year running.

The Billabong team rider will be leaving this week for California to attend the Awards Ceremony which will be staged on Friday 23 April at the huge Grove Theatre in Anaheim where an invitation only audience of 2 250 surf and media luminaries and VIP’s will celebrate the feats of the world’s top big wave chargers.

The entire night's festivities will be webcast live on the BillabongXXL.com site and many partner websites.  The show will also be the focus of a one-hour television special airing on the ESPN networks starting on the evening of May 18.

In all, over $130,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the world's greatest big wave surfers in this tenth annual edition of the Billabong XXL Awards presented by Monster Energy.  Verizon Wireless is the official communications provider and Honda is the official watercraft of the event.  Surfline.com is the exclusive surf forecast of the XXL. The event is sponsored by Surfing Magazine, Air Tahiti Nui and High Surf Accessories.

For all details about the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards, please see the website at www.BillabongXXL.com

FIVE BILLABONG XXL RIDE OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINEES

(Surfer prize $50,000 - Video prize $5,000)
Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) at Maverick’s, California on February 13, 2010.
(Video by Noel Robinson)
Shane Dorian (Kona, Hawaii, USA) at Maverick’s, California on February 13, 2010.
(Video by Noel Robinson)
Mark Healey & Shane Dorian (Sunset Beach & Kona, Hawaii, USA) at Waimea Bay, Hawaii on December 7, 2009.
(Video by Dwayne Fetch)
Ramon Navarro (Pichilemu, Chile) at Waimea Bay, Hawaii on December 8, 2009.
(Video by Marc Beaty/Surfline)
Raimana Van Bastolaer (Tahiti, French Polynesia) at Teahupoo, Tahiti on March 17, 2010
(Video by Aaron Lieber)

FIVE BILLABONG XXL BIGGEST WAVE AWARD NOMINEES

(Surfer prize $15,000 and a Honda Aquatrax watercraft with HSA sled - Photo/video prize $4,000)
Ross Clarke-Jones (Torquay, Vic., Australia) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 25, 2009.
(Photos by Erik Aeder and Bruno Lemos. Video by Elliot Leboe.)
Danilo Couto (Bahia, Brazil) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 25, 2009.
(Photos by Erik Aeder and Batel Shimi. Video by Chris Tronolone.)
Makua Rothman (Sunset Beach, Hawaii, USA) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on January 11, 2010.
(Photos by Erik Aeder, Tracy Kraft, Bruno Lemos and Zak Noyle. Video by Tim Bonython and Elliot Leboe.)
Sebastian Steudtner (Nuremberg, Germany) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 7, 2009.
(Photos by Erik Aeder, Jeff Flindt, Sean Hower, Fred Pompermayer and Batel Shimi.)
Ian Walsh (Kuau, Hawaii, USA) at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on January 11, 2010.
(Photo by Tim McKenna. Video by Tim Bonython and Elliot Leboe.)

FIVE MONSTER PADDLE AWARD NOMINEES

(Surfer prize $15,000 - Photo/video prize $4,000)
Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) at Maverick's, California on February 13, 2010.
(Photos by Doug Acton, Robert Brown, Tom Cozad, Art Gimbel, Todd Glaser, Ed Grant, Don Montgomery, Fred Pompermayer and Frank Quirarte. Video by Curt Myers, Eric Nelson and Noel Robinson.)
Shawn Dollar (Santa Cruz, California, USA) at Maverick's, California on February 13. 2010.
(Photos by Doug Acton, Robert Brown, Todd Glaser, Guerin Myall, Fred Pompermayer, Tyler Fox and Seth Migdail. Video by Eric Nelson and Noel Robinson.)
Mark Healey & Shane Dorian (Sunset Beach & Kona, Hawaii, USA) at Waimea Bay, Hawaii on December 7, 2009.
(Photos by Bidu, Brent Bielmann, Todd Glaser and Shorty. Video by Dwayne Fetch and Thomas Jamur.)
Alex Martins (San Francisco, California, USA) at Maverick’s, California on February 13, 2010.
(Photos by Scott Eggers, Art Gimbel, Don Montgomery, Fred Pompermayer and Frank Quirarte. Video by Eric Nelson and Noel Robinson.)
Ramon Navarro (Pichilemu, Chile) at Waimea Bay on December 8, 2009.
(Photos by Bidu, Jeremiah Klein, Pete Freiden, Scott Soens, Pete Hodgson, Brent Bielmann. Video by Mark Beaty/Surfline and Bruce Walker.)

FIVE MONSTER TUBE PHOTO AWARD NOMINEES

(Surfer prize $5,000 - Still Photography prize $2,000)
Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) at Maverick's, California on February 13, 2010.
(Photos by Doug Acton, Don Montgomery, Fred Pompermayer, and Frank Quirarte.)
Manoa Drollet (Tahiti, French Polynesia) at Teahupoo, Tahiti on March 17, 2010.
(Photos by Fred Pompermayer and Ben Thouard)
Rusty Long (San Clemente, California, USA) at Maverick’s, California on February 13, 2010.
(Photos by Don Montgomery, Fred Pompermayer and Frank Quirarte)
Mark Mathews (Maroubra, NSW, Australia) at The Right, Western Australia on June 15, 2009.
(Photos by Calum Macaulay and Shorty.)
Raimana Van Bastolaer (Tahiti, French Polynesia) at Teahupoo, Tahiti on March 17, 2010.
(Photos by Fred Pompermayer and Ben Thouard)

FIVE VERIZON WIRELESS WIPEOUT AWARD NOMINEES:

GRANT BAKER at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 25, 2009
SHANE DORIAN at Maverick’s, California on February 14, 2010
DAN GRIFFITH at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on August 7, 2009
RYAN HIPWOOD at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on October 19, 2009
BROOKE PHILLIPS at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on October 19, 2009

FIVE SURFLINE BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE AWARD NOMINEES:

(Surfer prize $5,000 prize)
GRANT BAKER, Durban, South Africa
CARLOS BURLE, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
SHANE DORIAN, Kona, Hawaii
MARK HEALEY, Sunset Beach, Hawaii
GREG LONG, San Clemente, California

FIVE BILLABONG GIRLS BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD NOMINEES:

(Surfer prize $5,000)
MAYA GABEIRA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
KEALA KENNELLY, Honolulu, Hawaii
MERCEDES MAIDANA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
SAVANNAH SHAUGHNESSEY, Santa Cruz, California
JAMILAH STAR, Santa Cruz, California