Red Bull Image Quest 2010 winner announced

The winner of the Red Bull Image Quest 2010, the world’s biggest action and adventure sports photography competition, was announced last night at a cermony at Trinity College, Dublin.

The winning photograph, by Chris Burkard, shows surfer Peter Mendria riding waves on Chile’s West Coast in golden sunlight. It was chosen from a pile of 22,764 entries submitted to the contest by nearly 5000 photographers.

“I’m overjoyed, it’s hard to put into words being able to be nominated and to win this award on front of all your peers and people I respect. I’m truly blessed,” said the 24-year-old professional photographer.

The ceremony also unveiled an exhibition of the top 50 entries, displayed on 2m high light boxes. Fifty-three judges from picture desks across the world voted over three rounds to determine ten category winners as well as the Overall Winner.

“The pictures were fantastic, every one of them was a difficult choice: it was hard to make a decision between the ones that won and the ones that didn’t,” said Red Bull Illume judge Alan Sparrow.

“The defining line between them was really close”.

Burkard was presented with a Leica S2 camera and lenses.

“I would never have imagined owning a camera like this,” Burkard said. “It’s worth more than the house I live in!”

Click here to see the winning photograph along with the top 50 images