Catching a big one

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The Mavericks surf competition off the Northern California coast delivered massive waves, and in the end South Africa’s Grant “Twiggy” Baker took home the crown. Baker, 40, also won the competition in 2006 and is considered one of the world’s foremost big wave riders. Only surfers invited to the event can participate, and the event is only hosted when conditions are prime. This year, invitations went out to 24 of the world’s best big wave surfers. Participants compete in groups throughout the day, with judging based on the quality of the wave, difficulty of the drop and the surfer’s performance.

The Mavericks surf competition off the Northern California coast delivered massive waves, and in the end South Africa’s Grant “Twiggy” Baker took home the crown. Baker, 40, also won the competition in 2006 and is considered one of the world’s foremost big wave riders. Only surfers invited to the event can participate, and the event is only hosted when conditions are prime. This year, invitations went out to 24 of the world’s best big wave surfers. Participants compete in groups throughout the day, with judging based on the quality of the wave, difficulty of the drop and the surfer’s performance.