Big-wave rider Dylan Longbottom has been nominated for the final of the XXL Billabong Ride of the Year.Longbottom's nomination came after he rode a massive wave in a huge swell at Teahupoo, Tahiti, several weeks ago."It was really scary that day. I'd be crazy to say I wasn't scared," Longbottom said yesterday at his Dylan Surfboards shop at North Wollongong."It was in the middle of the Billabong Pro and they had the whole event there. "When we got up in the morning it was like a tsunami. The water actually ended up coming through all the village when the tide come up."Big-wave riders could not take their jet skis out into the raging surf because it was deemed to be too dangerous."We finally got a clearance, sort of, so me and Laurie Towner, my co-partner, ended up getting a jet ski and we actually got out there," he said."A couple of locals and a couple of Brazilians were out there as well and they got hurt. It was heavy."Laurie went first and he got some really good ones. Then it was my turn and I got THAT ONE - it was the best wave of my life," he recalled."I got deep, nearly too deep, I thought. Then I just picked the right line."There was so much water coming up off the reef. The wave was moving so fast. It was really unpredictable."The world's top 40 surfers were there watching in awe and they were blown away. It was pretty classic."After many years living away from the region, Longbottom recently moved back to Kiama and has opened a surf factory/retail outlet in North Wollongong so he can stay here long term.A surfing accident in Indonesia in 2008 resulted in his brother, Darren Longbottom, becoming a quadriplegic."I went and saw Darren this morning and he's in good spirits. When I'm surfing these waves I've got him in the back of my mind," Dylan said."Like it scares me a bit."The Ride of the Year winners will be announced in California in January.