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Tahitian
Surfer Tames Teahupoo Terror
28-YEAR-OLD
Tahitian Manoa Drollet has ridden what is being dubbed the
biggest wave ever to be surfed at the death defying break
of Teahupoo

Photo Credit: tim-mckenna.com/Billabong
Drollet joined Billabong
Adventure Division surfers Shane Dorian (Haw), Dylan Longbottom
(Coolangatta) and 19-year-old Laurie Towner on July 28th during
the largest swell to bombard the Pacific Island in over 12
months.
A renowned Teahupoo charger,
Drollet has set the benchmark for tow-in surfing at the worlds
heaviest break, riding a mountainous wave two years ago which
was originally claimed to be the largest ever ridden.
The latest 10m giant
is believed to be bigger and any mistake could be likened
to having a five-story building land on your head.
When I took off
on that wave I was pretty worried because Peter Mel was on
the inside trying to pick up Mark Healy who wiped out on the
wave before, said Drollet. I was thinking that
the wake of the Jetski was going to make it bad for me.
Once I bottom turned,
he got out of the way and I was just trying to make it to
the shoulder, he said. I was happy to have caught
a big one.
I havent
seen all the shots and its hard to tell because when
you are on it, you just want to make the wave, said
Drollet. I want to see the pictures, and then Ill
judge from there, but Id be stoked if it is the biggest
one ever at Teahupoo.
The natural footer was
put in poll position for the mammoth ride late in the afternoon
with the help of experienced PWC (Personal Water Craft) tow
partner Dorian.
Surfers require PWC assistance
to catch the waves, which break with freight train speed across
razor sharp coral reef, making traditional paddle surfing
impossible.
When you have got
guys like Shane Dorian in the water it makes you feel more
secure because they really know what they are doing and what
is going on, said Drollet.
I compare it to
driving fast in a car through a corner and making it around,
joked the quietly spoken Tahitian. When you have got
your thoughts together and you are going good, then you feel
great.
Gold Coast surfer Longbottom
witnessed Drollets monster wave in 2004 during his first
tow session at the break and testifies to the record breaker.
Its definitely
one of the biggest waves I have seen at Teahupoo, said
Longbottom. Its always hard out there to measure
the difference in the waves because of the shape but that
one was just easy the biggest of the day, it was crazy.
A former XXL Monster
Tube Ride award winner, 32-year-old Longbottom has ridden
colossal swells across the globe, including Australias
heaviest
wave Shipsterns Bluff in Tasmania, but said nothing compares
to the sheer force of Teahupoo.
Its pretty
hard to put into words, it was really scary and so special
to be back there and doing it again, he said. Im
grateful to be alive because I had some heavy wipe-outs.
It just trys
to rip your arms and your legs off, its heavier than
Shipsterns and all those kind of waves, said Longbottom.
Like Shane Dorian said, its the heaviest wave
in the world and we were blessed to survive it.
Longbottom is an integral
part of the Billabong Adventure Division team spearheaded
by Gold Coast free surfer Brendan Margieson.
The project aims to find
and surf uncharted breaks around the globe, using PWC assistance,
traditional paddle in and long-range swell forecasts. When
a monumental swell lands at any break around the world, you
can guarantee Longbottom, Dorian and Drollet are likely to
be just around the corner.
Junior surfer Towner
also joined the Aussie contingent for the Tahitian tow in
session. In an initiation by fire, Towner was also charged
with the responsibility of driving the ski and putting Longbottom
in the perfect position to catch the waves, something he had
never done before.
It was pretty intimidating
being out there and towing with those guys, I was more or
less the last in line for a wave, said Towner. It
the first time I had ever used a Jetski and I had to tow Dylan
into some big ones, it was the scariest thing I have ever
done.
The lanky natural footer
from the NSW North Coast currently leads the ASP Australasian
Junior Series and has forged a solid reputation as Australias
next big thing.
Paddling in to a terrifying
tube at Shipsterns Bluff Tasmania in March, which earned him
a nomination for a Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Award, Towner
rates the Teahupoo swell as his heaviest to date.
It was pretty amazing,
its one of the craziest waves I have ever seen in my
life, said Towner. It was an awesome experience
to see some of the evil things that break out there.
Sitting out behind
the wave is pretty scary, you just wait out the back for your
turn and you dont know how big it is going to be,
said Towner. I saw another big wave that Manoa got during
that session and it was the biggest wave I have ever seen
ridden.
The next mission for
the Adventure Division is a recently discovered right-hander
in the Southern Ocean, expected to fire over the next two
months.
To
download the full size image of this wave as your wallpaper
click here and right-click on the image
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