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Florence, Moore take top honors again at Surfer Poll

Jason Genegabus
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COURTESY WORLD SURF LEAGUE

John Florence celebrates his first world title after winning the Meo Rip Curl Pro in Portugal earlier this year. He was voted the top pro of 2016 by readers of Surfer magazine in this year’s Surfer Poll Awards.

Hawaii’s John Florence and Carissa Moore repeated as top vote-getters at the 2016 Surfer Poll Awards, which were announced Tuesday during ceremonies at Turtle Bay Resort.

Florence, who won his first World Surf League title in October, was joined on the list by a cast of familiar faces to Surfer magazine readers, who vote online each year to decide the top 10 men in professional surfing (and now women, too, after only selecting 5 winners the last few years). Kelly Slater finished behind Florence for the third straight year after last taking top honors in 2013; Jordy Smith also returned in the No. 6 position after not making the list in 2015.

“It’s been one of the best years of my life,” said Florence, who also won Best Performance for his appearance in the Bill Ballard-directed “Twelve,” in a statement announcing the winners. “It’s just been a crazy couple of years. It’s been amazing.”

On the women’s side, Tyler Wright made her debut on the list at No. 2 behind Moore, who claimed the top spot for a second straight year. Other newcomers on the expanded list include Tatiana Weston-Webb (No. 6), Courtney Conlogue (No. 7), Bethany Hamilton (No. 8) and Sage Erickson (No. 10).

“I didn’t really expect to be walking home as a Surfer Poll winner tonight, since I haven’t had that great of a year,” Moore said. “It’s a true honor and I want to thank all the fans out there for voting. … It’s really cool to see my peers growing up doing amazing, incredible things and making history.”

Surfer Awards were also presented for the best videos and in-the-water performances of 2016. Movie of the Year went to “Let’s Be Frank,” starring South African big-wave surfer Frank Solomon and directed by Peter Hamblin, who cited Wes Anderson and Quentin Tarantino as inspirations.

“I could have never dreamed this up,” Hamblin said of his win. “I’m not a very good surfer … so I’m just really grateful and humbled.”

Additional coverage of this year’s awards is available via the Surfer magazine website.

2016 SURFER POLL AWARDS WINNERS

TOP 10 MEN

1. John Florence

2. Kelly Slater

3. Mick Fanning

4. Gabriel Medina

5. Julian Wilson

6. Jordy Smith

7. Filipe Toledo

8. Dane Reynolds

9. Kolohe Andino

10. Mason Ho

TOP 10 WOMEN

1. Carissa Moore

2. Tyler Wright

3. Stephanie Gilmore

4. Coco Ho

5. Alana Blanchard

6. Tatiana Weston-Webb

7. Courtney Conlogue

8. Bethany Hamilton

9. Sally Fitzgibbons

10. Sage Erickson

VIDEO AWARD WINNERS

>> A.I. Breakthrough Performance: Mason Ho

>> Agent of Change: Friends of Sunset Beach

>> Best Documentary: “Distance Between Dreams”

>> Best Maneuver: Albee Layer

>> Best Barrel: Albee Layer, Jaws

>> Best Series: “License to Chill,” Mason Ho

>> Best Performance: John John Florence, “Twelve”

>> Best Short: “The Tempest,” Stephanie Gilmore

>> Heavy Water: Greg Long

>> Movie of the Year: “Let’s Be Frank”

>> Worst Wipeout: Danny Griffiths, Shipstern Bluff

One response to “Florence, Moore take top honors again at Surfer Poll”

  1. manakuke says:

    The sport of kings.

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