Wrightsville Beach local wins prestigious surfing award
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A professional surfer from Wrightsville Beach was awarded a prestigious surfing award last night that every big-wave surfer dreams of winning.
Mason Barnes, a Wrightsville Beach native, received a call yesterday that was a big milestone in his career. He was congratulated as the winner of the 2022 Red Bull Big Wave Award for biggest tow, which goes to the surfer who catches and rides the biggest wave of the year.
Barnes’ winning ride was in Nazare, Portugal for a wave that measured well over eighty feet.
The contest came down to four final waves and Barnes came out on top.
This is the most prestigious award you can win as a pro surfer and would be equivalent to winning a world title.
“For me this is such a huge milestone for my career,” Mason Barnes said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted as a Big Wave Surfer. This is the ultimate award for a big wave surfer and I am just so honored and grateful to finally make it happen.”
Barnes says that this is the best feeling in the world and that this is something he has dreamed of being a part through his career and he is so grateful to be able to represent his hometown of Wrightsville beach on a national scale and hopefully be an inspiration to others.
