Hawai'i surfers Jamie Sterling and Shane Dorian were category winners at the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards last week at Anaheim, Calif.

Sterling, who is from O'ahu's North Shore, won the award for Best Overall Performance for his ability to ride big waves in various conditions around the world.

"I've never actually won anything in my life," he said. "I've never won a pro contest, or even an amateur one, so this just gives a lot of motivation for kids who don't excel in competitions. I'm 25 and I just won my first thing."

Dorian, who is from Kailua, Kona, won the Monster Tube Award for the best barrel ride of the season. His winning ride came on a massive wave last September at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

"It's definitely one for the memory banks," Dorian said. "You can surf an entire lifetime and not get a ride like that."

Sterling and Dorian each received $5,000.

California's Brad Gerlach won the Billabong XXL Award — the top award of the season — for successfully riding a 68-foot wave off Todos Santos, Mexico, last December. He received $68,000, or $1,000 per foot of the winning wave.

"When I caught that wave, I didn't really know how big it was," he said. "When I kicked out of the wave, everyone went nuts. I've been surfing Todos Santos for a long time, but that was the most amazing day I've ever seen."

The Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards was created in 2001 to honor the best big-wave surfers each season.

Hawai'i surfers have won the top award three times: Makua Rothman in 2003, Pete Cabrinha in 2004, and Dan Moore in 2005.

WORLD CHAMP SLATER 2 FOR 2 ON MEN'S WCT

Two events on the 2006 World Championship Tour have been completed, and world champion Kelly Slater of Florida has won both.

Slater won the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, Australia, on Wednesday.

Slater, who already owns a record seven world championships, has 2,400 points through the first two events of the year. Australians Joel Parkinson and Taj Burrow are tied for second with 1,632 each.

Kaua'i's Andy Irons is No. 5 with 1,464, and Pancho Sullivan of O'ahu's North Shore is tied for No. 7 with 1,200.

The next event is scheduled to begin May 4 at Teahupoo, Tahiti.

The women's world tour is scheduled to start its second event of the year this weekend. The Roxy Pro will run April 22 to 29 at Tavarua, Fiji.

Hawai'i surfers in the contest are Megan Abubo, Rochelle Ballard and Keala Kennelly.

Punahou School eighth-grader Carissa Moore will attempt to qualify for the event through the trials heats.