COR Surf Team Rider Paige Alms Earns Top Honors at 17th Annual Big Wave Awards

Author: Jackie Connor

Haiku, Maui big-wave surfer and COR Surf Team Rider Paige Alms received the Women’s Best Overall Performance Award at the annual Big Wave Awards in April 2017 in Huntington Beach, California. After six consecutive nominations beginning in 2012, Alms’ dedication, perseverance, and passion for big-wave surfing were finally recognized.

“I am honestly in disbelief,” said Alms. “To be amongst this group of women is just insane. I am super excited to see where they take the tour next year for the women. A huge shout-out to all of the women that inspire me to do my best and continue to push the level of women’s surfing and to be a better person, friend and athlete.”

Alms’ achievement was especially significant because of her long history of pushing herself in some of the world’s most challenging waves. Her connection to Peʻahi, better known as Jaws, on Maui, has been an important part of her big-wave career. In 2015, she made headlines with a historic barrel at the famous break, a ride that helped establish her as one of the leading women in big-wave surfing.

A Passion for Big-Wave Surfing

Alms began pursuing big-wave surfing at around 15 years old. Her motivation and perseverance pushed her to develop into a highly accomplished waterwoman, while her dedication to training helped prepare her for the physical and mental demands of surfing massive waves.

Her journey was not always easy. Like many athletes pursuing big-wave surfing, Alms had to work hard to support her career and fund the travel, training, and time required to pursue her passion. Her commitment and determination ultimately helped her reach the highest levels of the sport.

Her success at Peʻahi became another major milestone. In November 2016, Alms won the inaugural WSL Peʻahi Women's Challenge, becoming the first women's Big Wave World Champion.

That victory helped cement her place in surfing history and demonstrated how far women's big-wave surfing had progressed.

A Historic Achievement for Women’s Surfing

Winning the Women’s Best Overall Performance Award was more than a personal achievement for Alms. It represented the continued growth and recognition of women in big-wave surfing.

Alms had been nominated for the award six consecutive times before finally taking home the honor. Her persistence through years of competition and nominations made the victory particularly meaningful.

Her accomplishments at Peʻahi also helped pave the way for future generations of women big-wave surfers. In 2016, the first WSL big-wave competition for women was held at Peʻahi, with Alms taking first place.

Congratulations, Paige!

From everyone at COR Surf, congratulations to Paige Alms on this incredible achievement!

Her passion, determination, and willingness to push the boundaries of women's surfing continue to inspire surfers around the world. We are proud to have Paige representing COR Surf and excited to see what the future holds for this incredible athlete.

Congratulations, Paige! Keep charging!

About the Author

Jackie Connor is a travel writer from San Clemente, California. To learn more about her work, check out her blog, Confessions of a Surfer Girl.

*Author : Jackie Connor, Travel Writer from San Clemente, CA. Please check out her blog; http://confessionsofasurfergirl.com/