The New Big Wave Challenge is a fresh take on the tradition of providing a “town square” for the best athletes and content creators to gather together and share what they do with the world. All year long the surfers surf and the shooters shoot and at the end of the season the crew gets together and celebrates the best waves and the best performances as captured on video and still photos.
Manera and Surf Session invite you to take a part of Epic Wave contest. Around the world over the given period, you have free scope to score your best barrel, which could win you $1,500 and a Manera wetsuit.
1/ Score and film your best barrel between September 21 and November 21, anywhere around the world.
2/ Send your video (free of rights and not filmed by another media) in high resolution to manera.com; please note that it must not have already been published by other accounts on social networks or other platforms! The video must be sent in .mp4 and .raw format (which will be used to verify the authenticity of the shot).
3/ Subscribe to @surfsessionmag and @manerawatermen on Instagram. You can post your video on your personal account (only), mentioning #EpicWaveManera and tagging @surfsessionmag and @manerawatermen.
The jury
Justine Dupont, Ian Fontaine and Pete Devries will select the overall winner of the Epic Wave contest from the 12 barrels pre-selected by the Surf Session and Manera teams.
On social networks, the surfing community will also have its say, by liking its favorite performance on Instagram every week from November 24!
Justine Dupont, MANERA’s most daring waterwoman and the best woman big wave surfer in the world, will be honored as Waterperson of the Year at the 34th Annual Waterman’s Ball, the surf industry’s most-anticipated annual social event organized by the Surf Industry Members Association (SIMA).
Justine has been surfing big waves for more than 10 years and knows very well that adventure is always around the corner in this sport governed by swells and the ocean. But even in her wildest dreams, she could not have imagined the season she would have this year.
Waterman’s benefits the SIMA Environmental Fund, a charitable foundation that awards grants to organizations dedicated to ocean conservation. In addition to fundraising, the industry comes together each year to celebrate and honor some of the leading characters and key figures in surfing and ocean environmentalism.
The Manera team is stoked on our latest signage install up at SunDiego! Manera value’s these opportunities to work with our dealers to enhance the customer experience and tell our story.
Above you have Award Winning Big Wave surfer and Manera athlete, Justine Dupont having fun in her Seafarer 3.2!Â
Sun Diego takes great pride in its recognition as the “Best Surf Shop” for nine consecutive times by the San Diego Union Tribune Readers Poll. Additionally, the shop has earned prestigious titles such as “Retailer of the Year” and “Women’s Retailer of the Year,” which were nominated and voted on by industry retailers nationwide and the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA).
With a wide array of products from both well-established and emerging brands, Sun Diego caters to individuals dedicated to the sun and coastal living. From the iconic Carlsbad beaches to the vibrant Opening Day in Del Mar, from the lively Belmont Park in Mission Beach to the picturesque shores of La Jolla, and throughout various areas of San Diego County, Sun Diego has become a go-to destination. The shop takes pride in keeping San Diegans well-informed about the latest trends, ensuring that they have everything they need. Whether customers are out in the water, relaxing on the beach, or enjoying time at a local brewery, Sun Diego extends a warm welcome to all visitors.
Stop by their shop down in Belmont Park, Mission beach #supportlocalsurfshops
Since 1989, Waterman’s has raised close to $10 million to support our environmental beneficiaries that are dedicated to cleaning beaches, protecting surf breaks, keeping plastics out of the ocean, and more on behalf of surfers.
Over that time the industry has come together each year to celebrate our oceans with this premiere social fundraising event on the global calendar.
Waterman’s has honored a host of the leading characters in surfing as well as many of the key figures in ocean related environmentalism in what has now become the night where the highest honors in the surf world are given to the most deserving individuals and organizations.
“The surf industry’s highest honors goes to those who have given their best. This year’s honorees have left their mark on the sport and for this, they’ll be remembered forever for their contributions.” Said Paul Naude, SIMA Environmental Fund President. “This very special evening brings our entire industry together to celebrate incredible individuals and support environmental groups working to keep us surfers in the water. Protecting our ocean is the most important action our industry can take, and we’ll do this together.”
In 2023, Justine dropped into what may be the biggest wave ever ridden by a female and does it 105 miles at sea at the Cortes Bank during the filming of an upcoming season of the HBO docuseries “100 Foot Wave.”
Justine Dupont is one of the most versatile and well-rounded female surfers on the planet. Here’s how she stormed the big wave surfing world.
A multidisciplinary surfer with a colorful spirit, a curious personality, and an infectious smile, it’s relatively easy to like Justine Dupont. She’s highly sociable, kind, passionate, and a hopeless life lover, but when the discussion shifts to surfing, it’s a different story.
Whether she’s on a tow board, shortboard, longboard, or stand-up paddleboard, Dupont is constantly pushing herself more and more. The chair of the International Surfing Association (ISA) Athletes’ Commission takes her job seriously. Step by step, slowly but steadily, she became a performance obsessed, superb tube rider capable of challenging waves that average men can only dream of.
Justine always loved to be in the ocean from an early age and, with time, learned to develop and control her relationship with fear. The infamous 2021 barrel at Jaws is among her favorite rides of all time. It’s a wave that definitely deserves a look from all angles. Adventure lover Dupont keeps saying she is not chasing wins – she surfs for herself. But how has this talented lady become one of the most successful competitive female surfers of all time?
Justine Dupont taking off on a massive Nazare wave. | Photo: Red Bull
The Fear Factor
Justine Dupont was born on July 26, 1991, in Bordeaux, France. She started surfing at the age of 11 in Lacanau after stealing her father’s surfboard and running to the beach. “When I was little, I was scared of big waves,” Dupont revealed. As a professional surfer, I competed, and at the end of the season, I was lucky because winter would arrive, and I could surf bigger waves.” Dupont soon realized she was attracted to colossal mountains of moving water and started testing herself in the most extreme environments.
“In my life, everything revolves around surfing,” the Frenchwoman notes. “I’ve been competing in water sports since I was very young – swimming, windsurfing, and then surfing. But I really love big waves. You’re confronted with so many things. It’s Nature that’s in charge.”
Her first major trophy came when, at 15 years old, she was crowned national longboard champion. In 2012, Justine qualified for the Women’s Championship Tour but suffered an injury before her inaugural event. It was a massive blow to her dreams, but the shattered glass quickly melted and recomposed itself.
Justine Dupont riding the barrel at Hossegor | Photo: Red Bull
Going Big
In 2013, the French surfer became the first woman to ride 50-foot (15 meters) waves at Belharra, the offshore reef break located off the coast of the Basque Country. Dupont is a competitive machine in every single arena she enters. She won individual and team gold medals at the ISA World Surfing Games in 2013, 2017, and 2019. The regular-footer is also an accomplished stand-up paddleboarder and longboarder with European and world titles in her trophy room.
Justine, Ian and Fred met in Tahiti to experience the dream wave of Teahupoo. Seen either as a personal challenge or a way to level up, it’s always magical to take part in this surf adventure.
Emotions, technical advice, failures and successes are all part of this trip. Let us take you as close to the action as possible as our riders tackle this legendary wave. We’re here to capture every salty moment.
