The winds were strong enough to block your vision and dry you eyeballs. The air and water cold enough to freeze the tip of your nose and fingers.
We arrived late to the party. The crowd was thick and filled with the best in the world. In times like these I imagine what it could be like being one of 3 felines in a lions den. Could it feel similar? Needing a breath of air and a moment to set my mind. I paddled way outside of the pack. “Focus on the waves not the people” I was telling myself as I practiced slow breathing to lower my heart rate.
The ocean began moving and my moment was on the horizon. I looked over and saw world champion Grant Twiggy Baker and Kai Lenny who also saw the waves in pursuit. Twiggy, the wise elder of the three of us said, Kai you go first then Bianca then me. And just like that wave one came even bigger than we expected. Kai spun at the last minute with no hesitation as white water enveloped him.
