We don’t really cover too much of the big wave scene, nor the comp thing for that matter. However, when the buoys offshore start singing it’s hard to look away, contest or not. Jaws recently went XXL and the WSL held what turned out to be an epic day of both courage and carnage.

O’Neill sent the boys over – which included Russel Bierke, Torrey Meister and Eli Olson – to tackle the beast and hopefully come home in one piece, and maybe a few bucks richer. All three made the semi’s but were unable to snag that magical one to push them into the final.

For some insane reason prize money is hard to come by in big wave competitive surfing so surely the boys were disappointed in that regard, but damn they scored a few bombs! That may never relate to a reasonable paycheck but it’s gold in the bank of life experience.

Way to get after it boys!

What Youth

Editor’s note: Congratulations to Billy Kemper on yet another impressive performance and another first-place trophy at Jaws.