Well, it looks like the guys across the pond in the States are thoroughly jealous of the winter storms we have been getting across Europe over the last few weeks.

According to Real Surf.com “A number of top International surfers have heeded the call and gone “Across the Pond” to fill their need for winter power. ”

The unusual weather patterns in the North Pacific have left the Californian West Coast big wave surfers largely starved for waves for the last two months. And, the normally battered Hawaiian coastlines has suffered through a similar drought of extreme high surf warnings this winter season. 

However, there has been some epic conditions down in Southern France and Spain.

Benjamin Sanchis (Hossegor, France) at Belharra

Check out the latest photos from the 2009 Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. One of the most spectacular images to emerge from the barrage of high surf is a shot of Benjamin Sanchis (Hossegor, France) at Belharra, an outer reef located in the Basque Country near the French/Spanish border. 

The photograph by Stephane Salerno is reminiscent of several other massive rides at the break which earned XXL Biggest Wave nominations in 2003 and 2008.

Isla Pancha, in the Cantabria region of Spain, has also produced some excellent entries for Basque surfers Asier Muniain, Ibon Amatriain and Aritza Saratxaga along with Cantabrian Oscar Gomez. 

There is a total of over $130,000 in prize money up for grabs in The Billabong XXL Ride of the Year Award and Billabong XXL Biggest Wave Award. If the storms continue to rage we could see even bigger rides happening before the event closes on March 20th 2009.

The Billabong XXL competition is open to all qualified, invited surfers at any surf break around the world over the course of a full year and is based on the photographic evidence.

Although there is still plenty of time for more shocking swell events to occur before the event period concludes with the Vernal (Spring) Equinox on March 20, 2009, the world’s big wave elite are already making plans to attend the gala Billabong XXL Awards ceremony this April 17 at the Grove Theater in Anaheim, California.  While the 2000 seats at the Grove are invitation only, the entire evening’s activities from Red Carpet arrivals to the final award will be

If you haven’t got tickets to the Gala Awards Ceremony on April 17th at the Grove Theater in Anaheim, California, don’t fret. The evening will be broadcast live via webcast at www.BillabongXXL.com and televised as a one-hour special on ESPN2 on the evening of May 28.

Check out: http://www.billabongxxl.com

We’re off to book our flights to Biarritz now !