Inside Mark Healey’s O’Neill Wave of the Winter Winner
Breaking down the winning ride after a wild and weird WOTW season
Winner winner, chicken dinner. Photo: Christa Funk
Dashel Pierson
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Another year, another O’Neill Wave of the Winter done and dusted.
And if you haven’t heard – or watched the short film yet – Mark Healey won. The longtime charger, venerable waterman, and spearfishing wizard took home the $25,000 grand prize for his Pipeline freight train amidst a field of Outer Reef bombs, Backdoor drainers, and (literally) hundreds of other entries.
But, as with every year, there can be only one winner. And the panel of judges – including Gerry Lopez, Shane Dorian, Pancho Sullivan and Shawn Briley – chose Healey. Most shocked at the announcement, was Healey himself.
O Neill Wave of the Winter: Top 12 Rides of the Year surfline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from surfline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
O Neill Wave of the Winter: February s Eight Best Rides
John John Florence, Griffin Colapinto, Mark Healey, Mason Ho and more pull into a few heart-shaped boxes
Flynn Novak. Photo: Jeremiah Klein
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Yeah, we know it’s March, but Valentine gifts can be tough. It’s great to go big one year but the problem with that, is you’re expected to top that the next. And sometimes, that just ain’t tenable. You gotta start small, sweet, and from the heart. Cards. Flowers. Work your way up there. Keep the ceiling low. Of course, you know who totally disregarded that advice last month? Mother Nature.
O’Neill Wave of the Winter: Top 11 Rides from December
In an age of competitive disappointments, the WOTW is still going full-throttle.
Griffin Colapinto. Photo: Pete Hodgson
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Normally, we do a monthly Top-5 roundup for the O’Neill Wave of the Winter. But December was no normal month on the North Shore of Oahu; in fact, considering the sheer frequency of quality waves gracing the Seven Mile Miracle last month, not even our esteemed WOTW judges could whittle it down, so we just had to showcase more than five rides.
Like 10. Or 11. Hell, we would’ve given you 12, but Flynn Novak’s Pipe whopper wasn’t quite a make.