Tow-in surfing

Andrew Davis surfs Mavericks

Jet skis take the surfers into the waves of Jaws

Tow-in surfing is a surfing technique that was invented by Laird Hamilton , Buzzy Kerbox, Dave Kalama, Milton Willis, Michael Willis and others in the 1990s to enable surfing in waves from around 20  feet (about 6 meters) (English: "Big wave surfing").

technology

When tow-in (mutatis mutandis as "getting involved" to translate) a surfer using one is jet ski and a tow-rope in a large, up-breaking water wave ( big wave ) pulled. This method is the only way to ride waves that, due to their size and speed, can no longer be paddled ( take-off ) by the surfer . The driver of the jet ski pulls the surfer to the breaking lip of the wave. At this point the surfer lets go of the tow line to ride the wave.

The work of the helpers is not yet over after the actual tow-in. The surfer must be rescued after riding off, or rescued from the white water after a wipe out (foam created when a wave breaks).

The use of helicopters as tow-in aid became popular from 2003. This method has advantages over the jet ski when the wave height is more than 15 meters, as is the case for example. B. can occur in Jaws , or the position of the wave does not offer a safe escape route for the jet ski, as at times in Teahupoo . The pilot can also have a good overview of the incoming waves due to the flight altitude and thus select the best wave. Many photos and videos of big-wave surfing are taken from helicopters, which can be used for tow-in at the same time.

The largest wave recorded was ridden by Garrett McNamara. It was 98 feet (around 30 meters) high. He set his own record of 27.4 meters.

criticism

In addition to the considerable dangers to life and limb that exist for everyone involved, critics of this extreme sport accuse the environment of pollution from exhaust fumes and noise .

Well-known tow-in surf spots

See also : Surfspot

• Aill na Searrach, Cliffs of Moher , Ireland
• Cortes Bank off the Channel Islands , California , United States
• Dungeons Beach , Cape Town , South Africa
• Ilha dos Lobos , Brazil
• Isla Todos Santos , Baja California, Mexico
• Jaws , Maui , United States
• Mavericks , Half Moon Bay , Northern California , United States
• Praia do Norte, Nazare , Portugal
• Teahupoo off Tahiti
• Ship Stern Bluff , Tasmania , Australia

Well-known big-wave surfers

Dave Kalama Garrett McNamara Jason Polakov Kai Lenny

Keala Kennelly Ken Bradshaw Laird Hamilton Michael Guerin Kelly Slater Mike Parsons Ross Clarke-Jones Sebastian Steudtner

Movie

• Riding Giants . Big wave riding movie, 2004

literature

• Matt Warshaw: Maverick's: the story of big-wave surfing . Chronicle Books, ISBN 0-8118-2652-X

Web links

• Big wave surfer Sebastian Steudtner: “I travel to where the waves are” , Spiegel Online , August 25, 2014; interview
• Record surfer McNamara: "It was higher than anything I had ever seen," Spiegel Online, November 16, 2011
• Extreme surfer Sterling: “On the hunt for waves in endless winter” , Spiegel Online, May 3, 2011
• Laird Hamilton and Jason Polakow tow-in surfing in Jaws , dailydose, 2009
• “It's amazing that no more happens” , Interview with Tim McKenna, Spiegel Online, October 15, 2007

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Monster wave surfer McNamara: "It felt incredibly good" . Spiegel Online , February 1, 2013
2. ↑ Gabeira, a giant wave surfer: “The wall seemed to have no end” . Spiegel Online , November 5, 2013; interview
3. ↑ Scenes from "Riding Giants". YouTube