Riding the Giants

January 14, 2014

 The Big Wave World Tour rolled into Half Moon Bay, California, on January 10th. This event is California's most prestigious surf contest, known as "The Mavericks Invitational." This particular location is unlike any other surfing destination because of the size and ferocity of the waves. The competition will proceed only if Mother Nature cooperates and brings in the swells to generate the waves. On Wednesday, the 8th, the decision was made, and by Friday, twenty-four surfers were ready to go.

Phenomenal Waves! Just looking out at the twenty to forty-footers that rolled in made me nervous. Imagine resolving to stand up on your board at the crest and point yourself down the face. These surfers will hit speeds of twenty-five to thirty-five miles per hour. The chop and bounce you endure make the swells more menacing, caused by the deep trenches and fingers within the reef.

Right behind you is a wall of water and foam that is violent and fearsome. Eventually, all the surfers will take a pounding and pummeling, which is an inevitable part of this contest. As one surfer mentioned, "This is not about the money and winning, this is about surviving. No amount of money will make you run into the highway and get hit by a truck."

Why they do it or how they psyche themselves into doing it is different for all of them. I believe it is about challenging yourself both physically and mentally. These surfers are tremendous athletes with great agility, strength, and incredible stamina. You have to have the utmost confidence in your ability and equipment to even consider riding these monster waves.

Maverick's consists of twenty-four of the best big wave surfers in the world. The group is placed into four sets of six contestants who compete in forty-five-minute heats. The top three of each heat move into the semifinals, then the final six move onto the finals. This makes for a long day of competition which starts in the early morning and ends in the afternoon. After seven hours, a winner is announced, and the legend of Mavericks carries on.

This year, Grant "Twiggy" Baker from South Africa was declared the winner by catching and riding enough big waves to earn the purse. The competition was grand and a sight to behold to see these guys as a brotherhood. Furthermore, they do something that no other sport on earth can claim. Riding big waves is unpredictable since no two are alike, and you put your life on the line every time you ride down the face. Surviving at Mavericks is a victory for all.