*Update. Garret McNamara won the “Best Big Wave Wipeout of the Year” and also the “Biggest Wave Award” for a wave in Portugal that set the Guinness World Record. Read the full story here.

On May 4th, Billabong will recognize the best surfing competitors at the XXL Global Big Wave Awards 2012. Unless the winner has a good sense of humor, the least sought-after award is probably the “Best Big Wave Wipeout of the Year”.

Last week, Billabong made a video compilation of all the nominees up for the award. At least the consolation for an epic wipeout is a dainty $2,000 awarded by the surf company. The lucky cameraman who caught the footage will walk away with $1,000.

The nominees are:

• Felipe Cesarano at Teahupoo, Tahiti
• Danny Griffith at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania
• Rodrigo Koxa at Teahupoo, Tahiti
• Mark Mathews at The Right, Western Australia
• Garret McNamara at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii