<strong>Special awards highlight the most epic moments - </strong><strong>Surfers who perform the best tube, highest score, worst wipeout, most passionate claim and greatest defeat are taking some extra money home</strong>

The 5th annual Allianz Perfect Chapter powered by Billabong is still on hold, waiting for perfect swell, wind and weather conditions to align at <strong>Praia do Norte</strong>, Nazaré. <strong>Bruce Irons</strong>, <strong>Bobby Martinez</strong>, <strong>Damien Hobgood</strong>, <strong>Bruno Santos</strong>, <strong>Tiago Pires </strong>and <strong>Nic von Rupp </strong>are among the 16 men who are attending this competition, which has been taking place every winter in Portugal for the last four years. The event is meant to run in perfect, hollow waves.

As in its previous editions, Allianz Perfect Chapter powered by Billabong’s sponsors and partners are awarding the surfers who perform the <strong>most epic moments </strong>of the event in 2016, giving away parallel prize money for best tube, highest score, worst wipeout and most passionate claim. This year, the competition is also awarding the contender who gets eliminated with the highest score.

With some of the best tube riders in the world joining the Portuguese crew for a one-day tube riding contest at <strong>Praia do Norte</strong>, a break internationally known for its massive barrels, everything is in place for an epic show, with these special awards fueling the athletes’ sense of commitment and go-for-it, a part from an overall <strong>€20,000 </strong>prize money.

<strong>Allianz</strong>, one of the most successful insurance companies operating in Portugal and Perfect Chapter’s naming sponsor for the last couple of years, is awarding the surfer who performs the <strong>best tube </strong>ride with a <strong>€2000,00 </strong>check. The event’s organization is also presenting whoever completes the longest and most critical tube ride with a special trophy.

The motor brand <strong>Kia </strong>is also paying tribute to the best rides by awarding the surfer who performs the <strong>highest score </strong>with <strong>€1500,00</strong>. In a competition where contenders are scored only in regards to their ability to ride massive barreling waves, Kia will be highlighting whoever better matches skills with ocean sync by completing the two best waves of the event.

<strong>Nixon </strong>will be in charge of awarding the surfer who performs the <strong>worst wipeout</strong>. It’s a <strong>€500,00 </strong>check for whoever gets harder over the falls. 2

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<strong>VonZipper </strong>is awarding the surfer who performs the <strong>best claim</strong>, encouraging contenders to express their passion. The winner is taking home an extra <strong>€500,00 </strong>check.

Lastly, the surfing news and beach webcams Portuguese website <strong>Beachcam </strong>is awarding the surfer who gets <strong>eliminated of the event with the highest score</strong>, thus highlighting the surfers’ go-for-it regardless of final results. The Best Looser Award is set to <strong>€500,00</strong>.

In addition, the event’s organization is awarding the <strong>most committed athlete </strong>with a <strong>trophy named after Ricardo dos Santos</strong>, the Brazilian surfer who got murdered last year after getting chosen by the fans to take part in the 2015 Perfect Chapter edition. The <strong>Rds Commitment Award </strong>is honoring the most vigorous contender according to commitment and raw courage criteria, as a way of celebrating Ricardinho’s memory and legacy.

Allianz Perfect Chapter powered by Billabong is a unique event where participants are <strong>picked up by the fans </strong>through online voting, giving people the opportunity to choose their favorite surfers. In 2016, the event took a great leap towards internationalization by allowing foreigner (non-Portuguese) athletes to fill up half of its draw. Soon enough <strong>Nic von Rupp</strong>, <strong>Tiago Pires</strong>, <strong>João Guedes</strong>, <strong>Francisco Alves</strong>, <strong>Miguel Blanco</strong>, <strong>Alex Botelho</strong>, <strong>Bruce Irons</strong>, <strong>Pedro Vianna “Scooby”</strong>, <strong>Miguel Tudela</strong>, <strong>Marco Giorgi</strong>, <strong>Damien Hogbood </strong>and <strong>Bobby Martinez </strong>will be joining the wildcards <strong>Bruno Santos</strong>, <strong>Ruben Gonzalez</strong>, <strong>Koa Rothman </strong>and local charger <strong>Bruno Grilo </strong>at Praia do Norte in a quest for the perfect wave.

The event will be webcasted live at perfect-chapter.com. Stay tuned!

The Allianz Perfect Chapter powered by Billabong is sponsored by Allianz, Billabong, Nazaré City Council, Kia, MEO and it is associated with the media partners RTP, Fuel TV, Jornal i, Mega Hits, SURFPortugal, Beachcam, Surf Session, Fluir, Waves and Surfing Life.