COTTON TAMES OLD ENEMY IN 80MPH REMATCH
IT takes a special mentality to return to a place that could have killed you – just so you can chase an adrenaline kick.
But then those who ride big waves for a living have that psychological make-up.
Fortunately for Andrew Cotton – who I interviewed six months ago after he broke his back surfing an 80ft monster off the coast of Portugal – the return leg ended with him settling a score.
He even equalised against Mother
Nature by setting – unofficially – a world record.
But he is under no illusion as to who is still in charge out on the ocean.
As Hurricane Epsilon hurtled across the Atlantic, Britain braced itself for damage. But Cotton (above), stationed on the Iberian coast, was waiting with nervous anticipation.
He recalled: “We’re at the start of the big-wave season and the hurricane produced an incredible swell.
“There wasn’t time for any warm-ups. We were straight into it.
“For surfers, it’s like the season kicking off with the FA Cup Final.
“After what happened to me last time, I did question myself. ‘Do I want this?’ and ‘Do I want this badly enough?’ were two of them.
“You have an internal battle. There are moments of self-doubt.
“But suddenly, when you are out there, you realise there’s a switch.
“I knew the wave I wanted. Would it come? That was the question. It was a test of patience. It’s a fine line, flowing with the ocean, given what had happened previously and sometimes it doesn’t work out as you wanted.
“It did this time. The wave came. Then there is no room for self-doubt.
“It was the fastest I’ve ever been on a surfboard. I had some GPS data last season and I was reaching speeds of up to 75mph. I’m sure this topped 80.
“I wanted to challenge myself – and I did. Every time I’ve done that, it’s been worth it. This was no different.”
Cotton is still waiting to hear if the International Surfing Association will ratify his record. In his eyes, it is the fastest and the biggest wave he has ever ridden. That should be enough.
He added: “When the jet-ski came to pick me up, I’d maxed out. The sensation after what I’d done lasted about 30 seconds.
“But it was early in our session out there and I had to drive the jet-ski so that someone else could surf.
“It’s a small community riding global big waves and people are putting their lives in your hands.
“At the end of the session, I’d forgotten all about my run. I’d flipped the ski, smashed myself in the face with it and needed stitches above my eye.
“I had to remind myself, ‘Three hours ago, you rode the biggest and fastest wave of your life’.”