The charismatic former world n°2 received a check for $68,000 -- $1000 per foot -- for the achievement. "When I caught that wave I didn't really know how big it was," said Gerlach. "The swell was still building and it was the last wave of the day, just before it got dark, so I was just hoping to get one more. When I kicked out of the wave everyone just went nuts...you don't know what's behind you when you're on it. I've been surfing Todos Santos for a long time, but that was the most amazing day I've ever seen."
The Monster Paddle Award for the biggest wave caught without the help of a jet ski was won by Diego Medina of Bellavista, Chile for a massive gray wall caught off the Punta Lobos point in Pichilemu, south of Santiago, Chile. Medina received a check for $10,000.
The Monster Tube Award went to Shane Dorian for his enormous backside barrel at Teahupoo and the Billabong Girl's Best Performance Women's Award went to Californian Jamilah Star
Almost 2000 surfing VIPs watched Gerlach receive his honors at the Billabong XXL Awards ceremony live at the Grove Theater in Anaheim, California.
Check the complete story of the 2006 Billabong XXL Awards and photos on www.BillabongXXL.com