Surfer Andrew Cotton has been awarded a nomination for catching a massive wave off the Sligo coast.

The Devon, England born professional has received a Big Wave nomination at the 2015 Billabong awards for catching a “barrel” at Mullaghmore last week.

Cotton was previously nominated in March 2012 for catching a 50ft wave off Mullaghmore, after having waited three months in the Bundoran, Co Donegal area for the right conditions.

“The waves have been the biggest and best, [possibly better] than the Viking storm almost three years ago,” Cotton told The Irish Times. “It’s the fact that we got out so often that made it particularly good.”

Cotton, along with Portuguese colleague Hugo Vau and photographer Finn Mullen, described the week as “exceptional.” 

“I was meant to be at the chiropractor, but I saw the storm coming in and had to get over here,” Cotton said. “We’ve been out most days since last Friday, but Monday of this week was particularly good, with terrible conditions in the morning, and the wind then switched at 3pm.”

“So while everyone else had written the day off, myself and Hugo had the waves to ourselves.”

Cotton and Vau are making a documentary, entitled "Behind the Lines," and the north Sligo coast provided the backdrop for filming throughout the week.

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