Greg Long and Grant “Twiggy” Baker went into the night huge winners at the Billabong XXL Awards. The two friends were rewarded for yet another year of conquering massive waves, with Twiggy winning two awards and Long taking top honors, winning Ride Of The Year and $50,000.

Long was the only rider nominated for Ride Of The Year who didn’t catch his wave with the assistance of a PWC. “I am glad to have won this as a paddle in wave and without a PWC, because most recognized big wave surfers will tell you this is the most difficult of the two,” said Long.  “To catch a wave on your own power is an unbelievable feeling.”

Long’s good friend and partner Twiggy walked away with two awards on the night, winning the Billabong XXL Biggest Wave Award and the Surfline Best Overall Performance Award. “When you look at my eyes right now, you can see that I am pretty pumped,” said Baker.  “Yeah, it is an amazing feeling, not just to myself but also to my family back home in South Africa. The whole experience is not just satisfying for me personally but to see South Africa up there, to see Dungeons up there, seeing James Taylor up there, overall to put South Africa on the map is most satisfying for me. It is an honor to win Best Overall Performance and to be the first South African to do it.”

Complete list of winners are below. Photos courtesy of Billabong XXL.

BILLABONG XXL RIDE OF THE YEAR AWARD

WINNER $50,000: Greg Long (San Clemente, California, USA) at Dungeons, South Africa on July 26, 2008 ($5,000 Video by Fixerfilm/RedBull BWA)

SECOND $5,000: Ryan Hipwood (Gold Coast, Australia) at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on October 11, 2008.  (Video by Tim Bonython)

THIRD $1500: James Holmer-Cross (Hobart, Tasmania, Australia) at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania on October 11, 2008. (Video by Dave Otto)

FOURTH $1500: Garrett McNamara (Sunset Beach, Hawaii, USA) at Teahupoo, Tahiti on April 8, 2008 (Video by Simon Saffigna)

FIFTH $1500: Brian Conley (San Diego, California) at Boca Grande, Mexico on October 22, 2008. (Video by Brian Conley)

BILLABONG XXL BIGGEST WAVE AWARD (Surfer prize $15,000 and a Honda Aquatrax watercraft with HSA sled  -  Photo/video prize $4,000)

Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa) at Tafelberg Reef, South Africa on August 9, 2008.  (Photo by Brenton Geach)

MONSTER PADDLE AWARD  (Surfer prize $15,000  -  Photo/video prize $4,000)

Derek Dunfee (San Diego, California, USA) at Maverick's, California on November 30, 2008.  (Photo by Fred Pompermayer)

MONSTER TUBE PHOTO AWARD (Surfer prize $5,000  -  Photography prize $2,000)

Mark Healey (Sunset Beach, Hawaii, USA) at Yeti, Oregon on September 24, 2008. (Photo by Jason Murray)

BEST MALE OVERALL PERFORMANCE AWARD (Surfer prize $5,000)

Grant Baker (Durban, South Africa)

BILLABONG GIRLS BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD (Surfer prize $5,000)

Maya Gabeira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)