Nathan Florence

I think Albee’s Jaws wave should have been nominated.

Laurie Towner’s wave should have been in as well and vying for a definite win.

I was either in the water or watching from land for almost all the nominees and have a good feel for just what it took for them to catch those waves.

In both cases, conditions were crazy scary. It was hard to position and harder to make.

Laurie’s wave was one of the most mind-blowing drops and rides I’ve ever seen, just because he makes it look easy does not mean it wasn’t as heavy. He has incredible reflexes; I saw his nose drag water for a moment and he leaned back pulling it out like it was a Pipe wave, except it was a 20 foot and he was fucking backside. Has there ever been a backside barrel ride with that kinda drop on a wave that size along with the tube he got?

Albee paddled out after they called our heat – I followed with Koa [Rothman] and [Lucas] Chumbo. Dude, I couldn’t even sit 100ft from where Albee was. I was so scared of getting caught inside.

I think Tow and Paddle should be separated and have their own categories, or at least be recognized that paddling into the wave and taking on the drop is added points and difficulty towards choosing the winner even if the tow wave may have been bigger and heavier or surfed in a wild way. I am not taking anything away from what guys did this year on tow boards, it was incredible and Kai Lenny is doing things that are baffling.

I saw Kai Lenny do an airdrop at Mavericks that was similar to his Jaws one but he paddled it – where was that wave?

Twig and Billy pushed the limits of what was possible at Jaws and I think that deserves recognition and nomination but brings up the argument of make or no make? Both those guys did everything you could do to attempt to make waves of the year and made it farther than most would have, especially Twig! Absolutely mind blowing! I think the judging criteria must be clarified moving forward. I’d hate to be a judge myself, this was an incredible year.

It’s laughable; so much confusion, so much hurt feelings some very rightfully so!

Laurie Towner

I don’t think there should be tow waves in Ride of the Year. It should have its own category. Paddling is way harder and more rewarding, everybody knows that.

To me, Eli, Bianca and Albee’s waves got overlooked. All three were beautifully well ridden and massive waves. They stand out because they were amazing rides.

Makua Rothman

If you don’t make the barrel, it can’t be Ride of the Year.

I don’t care if you came out on your belly or your back or what you did, you ate shit. Those rides shouldn’t count. You got to make the wave. Good attempt braddah, but no cigar [Laughs]

No one’s in the record books for an animal they shot but never got.

For The Ride of the Year, it doesn’t matter how you catch the wave it’s a ride. Fuck, how come the SUP guys aren’t in? If they’re gonna let every Tom, Dick, and Harry enter the show, they should let them all in.

I want the sport of big wave surfing to prosper; I don’t want to shoot it down in any way.

If Twiggy would have come out of that wave it wouldn’t matter. That wave would’ve been better than any tow wave.

Tow and paddle shouldn’t even be an argument. I don’t know why it’s even an issue. There are some waves you can’t paddle into. You can’t paddle into the Right, you couldn’t have paddled into Ramon’s wave. Being in the ocean is what it’s all about.

But I don’t think they should be separated. That’s why it’s Ride of the Year; it’s about the actual ride. Who cares what you ride or how you caught the wave.

Let’s just let a beautiful sport be and congratulate the people who are doing good.

Paige Alms (the shortest and sweetest response received)

Albee’s, Laurie’s and Eli Olsen’s, duh.

Paddling should always have top tier over tow — my opinion. Everyone has one.

For the judging panel? The surfers first and foremost.