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What’s been your biggest wipeout and hold down?

I was surfing at Mavericks and a big wave broke over me and i got held down for 25 seconds. I eventually made it back up to the surface by pulling my vest which inflated with air and allowed me to float back up.
 
Transcript: "My biggest, why pod and hold down was at Mavericks, San Francisco basically took off on this wave and I was a little bit late on it and a wind past vertical, there's probably like a 35-foot wave, the nose of my board dug into the water and I fell forward and I body surfed on my back down this huge wave. And I remember looking up in the and the lip coming over me and I was inside this mess. Of barrel at broke over me and then what happens is, as the wave sucks is like a Vortex and it sucks, suck me up. And it was this long moment of Stillness sucking up and up and up. And then I went over with the lip and then it did. I hit the impact and was so violent in the wave. Pushed me really deep under the water and it Mavericks, the waters cold and dark. It's more dense. So, it pushes you deeper. I just pulled me down Into the Depths and called me under for about 25. S, i was pressed on the floor on the ground just with what felt like the weight of the entire ocean pushing me down and I pulled my vest. So my inflation based. So it filled me up with air eventually. Let me go came up and luckily there wasn't another big one after that."
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What’s been your biggest wipeout and hold down?

I was surfing at Mavericks and a big wave broke over me and i got held down for 25 seconds. I eventually made it back up to the surface by pulling my vest which inflated with air and allowed me to float back up.
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Are you training for anything in particular at the moment?

Yes, I am training for the Jaws big wave Invitational which is a competition for the top 20 big wave surfers in the world. I have been doing a lot of swimming and sprints in the pool to prepare my body and mind for the adrenaline rush of being held underwater by a large wave. I am now tapering down my training as I am about to book my ticket and fly over for the event.
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Who is your favourite athlete that you've competed against?

Jordi Smith is the favorite athlete that I've competed against. We faced each other at my home break, and I ended up winning. He's one of the best surfers in the world and he's from South Africa.
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What was some of the most formative times in your career?

Growing up in my late teens I was a good surfer but often lost to worse surfers, which forced me to reflect on what I was doing and gave me a thick skin for when times were tough.
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What are the one career objective and one personal objective that you want to accomplish before you die?

My career and life objective is to use my talents and gifts to inspire others to go bigger in whatever they are doing and face their fears.
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How did you manage finances before turning pro?

Growing up, my dad took me to surfing competitions and allowed me to keep any prize winnings I won. My parents also gave me support and didn't pressure me, which helped give me the foundation for a successful professional surfing career.