GRANT TWIGGY BAKER WINS RED BULL BIG WAVE AFRICA
SurferMag.com Exclusive Interview with Grant "Twiggy" Baker
by Brendon Bosworth
Grant, you’ve surfed a fair bit of Dungeons in your time. You’ve ridden some mean waves all over the world. How would you rate this session?
In my semi-finals I said to the guys, “This is definitely the best Dungeons I’ve ever paddled into.” It felt really big. It’s hard to judge size once it gets to the 20-foot realm, especially when you’re paddling, but it felt really big. When you got to the bottom of one you knew “whoa, ok, that was a big one.” You can actually feel it: your speed keeps increasing as the waves get bigger. James [Taylor] and I rode one in the semis that felt like a really massive wave. It’s pretty much as good as Dungeons gets, honestly. At that size it’s normally a lot messier and you have to start towing. So for us to be able to catch waves when it’s that big, well that means it’s good Dungeons.
For people who haven’t surfed Dungeons or seen it in the flesh, how would you describe it? How does it rate as an international big wave spot?
Dungeons is one of the top three big wave paddle waves in the world. I think everyone will agree to that after what went down today. Mavericks is obviously a very special wave: it’s a lot more uniform and kind of a little bit easier to catch, but it’s super heavy. Dungeons is a lot harder to catch, but the wave itself is not as heavy as at Mavs. The whole overview of Dungeons is so radical: there’s the seal island, you know we keep seeing what we think are shark fins, but then it’s just sun fish. From that point of view it’s heavy! Also, at Dungeons you get caught inside. Getting mowed down by 25-foot waves is no fun for anyone. That’s what makes Dungeons just as heavy as Mavericks and just as heavy as Waimea Bay. It’s got different aspects that are super heavy, but it’s up there, it’s a major player on the world stage.
What was your most critical moment out there today?
It was in my first heat when I got caught inside by a solid 25-foot plus wave. Then I got two more on the head after that, right in the impact zone. I was under water for a long time; it felt like two waves.
RELATED STORIES
|
READER COMMENTS
Fri Oct24, 2008, 8:58 AM
It's lame when surfers, especially magazines, compare every single break that is firing huge, hollow and clean to Pipeline. It's a cliche that needs to be silenced. There are probably 10 other waves that would be a better comparison (Newport Beach?). That being said, these are beautiful waves for a beautiful stretch of sand and these guys had to be stoked. Would've loved to be there.
Sun Oct26, 2008, 12:40 AM
It's a great comparison. For anyone who has surfed Pipe. It is a great wave that is a benchmark for sure. But I doubt it was that good. Pipe is unreal.
Sun Oct26, 2008, 2:30 PM
aahhhhh hahahahahahaha, Newport beach, ahahahahaha
Mon Oct27, 2008, 1:13 PM
That's hatty at it's best, cant be compared to anythign else but sick dumping barrels. nobody can appreciate it like we do
Tue Oct28, 2008, 2:37 AM
the fact that you would say newps is a better comparison to pipe than a fatty hatty kegger is just retarded. You obviously haven't surfed the place but just check the pics or even videos. I've surfed newport on its biggest and best days and it was no where near as gnarly as the times I've scored OBX in the late fall. Some of these breaks are in fact very comparable to the power of the waves at pipe even though their shape and attitudes are way different.
Thu Oct30, 2008, 12:13 AM
I've surfed Rodanthe dozens and dozens of times over 3 decades. Pipe several times in the 80's. Rodanthe is a fickle, small-to-medium sized beachbreak wave that can get good from time to time. Pipe is a hollow reef break that is one of the hairiest and most dangerous in the world. Rodanthe is Southern. Pipe is Polynesian. There is no comparison. However, NC surfers can hold their own anywhere.
Thu Nov 6, 2008, 8:15 PM
I surf OBX year round, most of the time Nags Head. Rodanthe will have waves when nowhere else will. West coast has nice waves but we don't have to worry about getting cut up on coral or rocks (or great whites for that matter). We have good waves that are easy to catch and not a crisis if we wipe out. When you are as old as I am, giant shore type break waves don't interest you that much anyway. President, Old Farts Surf Club.