DURBAN big wave surfer Grant ‘Twig’ Baker won the Nazare Challenge, the first event on the 2018/19 World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave Tour (BWT), in huge 8m to 13m waves at Praia do Norte, Nazare in Portugal.
Baker, the 2013 and 2016 WSL BWT world champion and at 45, the oldest competitor in the event, claimed the fifth BWT event title of his storied career and he now holds the early lead in this year’s BWT rankings.
Baker caught the first ride in the 60 minute final, earning a score of 5.33 out of 10, and he followed that up almost immediately with a 4.93. With two scores in his pocket he had the luxury of being able to position himself to wait for the biggest waves to arrive while the other five finalists needed to chase around the break trying to record their counting scores.
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With 10 minutes remaining, the horizon went black as a set of massive waves came thundering through ultra-deep underwater canyon that refracts the world’s biggest rideable waves into the surf zone at Nazare.
Baker held his nerve and as the biggest wave of the day was about to break on his head he swung around, paddled in and dropped down the face.
Holding his line as the wall of water estimated at 13m in height by the commentators towered over him, Baker guided himself around the tons of crushing white-water and onto the shoulder, raising his arms in exultation as he cut-out over the back of the wave.
The judges awarded Baker 8.67, the highest scoring ride of the final, and when he added a 7.70 in the dying minutes, the title was his.
“That wave was coming right to me and Lucas was on the shoulder so I had do some manoeuvring, but I had to go. Out at Nazare you’re not too sure where it’s going to break so I had to wait, and wait, and wait. So when I eventually turned and went, it was pretty late and it was really steep, but I made it to the shoulder and now I’m the champion!” said Baker on the podium.
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