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WA breaks test big-wave riders

Taking on a monster: Surfer Dean Morrison rides The Right in the deep water off Denmark. Picture Russell Ord

At a shindig in Sydney's beachside suburb of Manly next month, a select few brave - some would say crazy - surfers will be anointed Australia's big-wave kings for 2014.

Barring one, every nominee rode into contention in the cold, heaving waters off WA's south or south-west coasts.

WA's reputation for surfing so-called waves of consequence has long been known but it seems new discoveries and technologies are propelling that to new levels.

In the list of finalists released yesterday for the Oakley Big Wave Awards, 11 of the 12 nominations across three categories are waves ridden in WA.

With categories for biggest wave ridden, biggest "slab" and biggest wave paddled into, Oakley said it was not just the size of the WA waves that mattered.

Two breaks in particular, Cow Bombie off Margaret River and The Right to the south, were hundreds of metres offshore and "frequented" by sharks.

Last year's main winner Geoff "Camel" Goulden said: "I surf a lot in this area and often getting out of the water alive is enough to make you very thankful."

The three main categories are judged by surfers and there is a viewers' choice award.

Vote at www.bigwaveawards.com.au/ viewers-choice