Big wave Baker still No1
KZN’s ‘Twiggy’ fifth in gigantic surf at Jaws but retains top spot in world title race
FRESH from his win at the Nazare Challenge in Portugal, Durbanite Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker, has maintained his dominant form on the WSL’s Big Wave Tour by featuring in the final of the Jaws Challenge held in windswept monster waves in Hawaii earlier this week.
Despite a fifth place overall at the Jaws event at Pe’ahi, on the island of Maui, Baker has retained his current world number one ranking with just one event left to crown the 2018/ 2019 WSL World Big Wave champion.
Baker, already a two times winner of the World Big Wave Tour title in 2013 and 2016, now turns his attention to the fabled Mavericks Challenge where he is a perennial favourite for the event to be held at Half Moon Bay in Northern California.
The Mavericks Challenge event window opens today and runs through until March 31 with just one or two days of gigantic swells required to complete the event.
With Baker winning Mavericks titles in 2006 and 2014, along with a runner-up finish to Californian Greg Long in 2008, the current world No1 is already on standby for the green alert for the Challenge to be called ‘on’ by World Big Wave Commissioner Californian Mike Parsons.
“The Mavericks event is my full focus now even though the ‘Eddie’ is on again at Waimea Bay this year,” confirmed Baker who is now based in Hawaii.
“It’s difficult to live in California and surf Mavericks and notch up a lot of water time so I’m still going to be based in Hawaii with my family for the next three months.
“But I will be shooting over to California every sniff of a swell and surfing Mavericks as much as I can to get used to the weather, the waves and the cold-water temperatures.”
Turning his attention to the waves at Mavericks, Baker continued, “the waves are very technical and unless you are practising on them they’re very difficult to master.”
While a ‘threepeat’ is on the cards for Baker, for the World Big Wave and the Mavericks titles, the 45-year-old is clearly aware of the challenge from the younger generation who are pushing big wave surfing limits to unimaginable levels.
“Obviously I am happy to be in front on the world rankings but it’s quite close between the top four with each of us having the potential to win.
“I basically have to finish two places ahead of Billy Kemper (Hawaii) or three places ahead of Kai Lenny (Hawaii) and Lucas Chianca (Brazil) so that’s my goal.
“It’s a fantastic feeling to be leading, for myself, my family and friends and South Africa to make everyone proud.”
This year 10 women will feature in the Mavericks Challenge alongside the 24 men invitees: Women’s Invitees: Paige Alms, Keala Kennelly, Justine Dupont, Bianca Valenti, Maya Gabeira, Sarah Gerhardt, Emily Erickson, Andrea Moller, Jamilah Star. One wildcard to be selected on Green Alert. Men’s Invitees: Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny, Ian Walsh, Makuakai Rothman, Lucas Chianca, Jamie Mitchell, Tom Lowe, Alex Botelho, Greg Long, Natxo Gonzalez, Will Skudin, Grant Baker, Nathan Florence, Jojo Roper, Russell Bierke, Travis Payne, Patrick Shaughnessy, Matt Becker, Anthony Tashnick, Jason Stark, Hunter Murison, Peter Mel, Nic Lamb. One wildcard to be selected on Green Alert.