Ratings points and trophy's aside, this is the awards ceremony where the surfers themselves cast their votes. Where beer, bravado, and bonhomie flow like a bubbling brook.

The awards (put on by Australia's Surfing Life) may have been running for the best part of two decades, but the general consensus among those reaching for their emergency Berocca stash the next morning was that this year's raucous gong show was the best yet.

Throughout the festivities, held at the swank new Crowne Plaza in uptown Torquay, the pros gave shout outs and major respect to the trailblazers who came before them.

In accepting his gong for best tuberider, Bruce Irons deflected praise, turned to host Martin Potter and said: "I look up to Pottz, TC and Elko. In 1998, they took me surfing in Elko's truck in Hossegor and it was the best session of my life. THEY are the best surfers in the world, I might have grown up in good waves but I looked up to these guys as inspiration. These guys are the real deal."

When Mick picked up the Best Surfer award, he likewise placed the spotlight on one of his mentors: "I've been coming to Bells for 11 years and that first year Occy won the Skins ... It's real sad he's not here this year, so in dedication to The Occ, I'd like to sing one of his favourite songs."

Fanning's improv impersonation of Occy singing "Black Magic Woman" brought the house down. Punters picked themselves back up off the carpet for the next gong - The Lifetime Achievement Award - which fittingly went to the colossal achievements of Mr Occhilupo.

The coveted Snickers Next Big Thing Award was hosted by former winner Jordy Smith, and not surprisingly went to white-hot juniors Julian Wilson and Carissa Moore. The Best Event, in a 2007 season marred by sub-par waves, went to last year's jaw-dropping Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast. Dane Reynolds was considered the best aerial surfer in the world, and for some strange reason current World Number Two Bede Durbidge was still considered the most underrated.