You know how they talk about French beach breaks being temperamental? If you arrive to cooking Hossegor, chances are, you’re too late. The tidal range is so large – in 30 minutes the wave has completely changed. Reminds me of Witsands. Witsands is like those temperamental French beach breaks. You spend all your hard earned cash on Fossil Fuels to power your vehicle packed with surfboards over Ou Kaapse Weg, you then have to wrestle your way through several robots (which always seem to be red) through Noordhoek and Capri, until finally the city’s tentacles release you onto the open roads of the Deep South. You arrive at Witsands to find a nonexistent sand bank. Waves breaking five miles out to sea complemented by a reform that closes out on the shore. Should’ve stayed home. It pains me to think how many provincial trials have been enjoyed on those unpredictable shores. All this to say, today’s event reminded us of a provincial trial at Witsands. It’s like you planned to have the trial on Saturday 3 months ago, and everyone’s organised their lives around your trial, so come hell or high water, the hooter will sound at 8am on Saturday morning. Howling onshore and 1 ft be damned!


Anyway, be that as it may – if there’s one thing we can all celebrate today, it’s Sarah Baum. Small Supertubes is a tricky affair. The wave doesn’t lineup from top to bottom. And thus you have to choose between 3 or 4 peaks. Choosing a peak is like playing Russian Roulette.
Could work.
Could get skunked.

Sarah sat further down the point and her investment paid out. She found the two best waves of the heat. And her surfing was nothing short of World Tour material. Those backhand hangers blistering and powerful. Not to mention she just took down current world number one…
Sarah is the only South African to have skipped the losers round and we’re frothing to see more of that powerful backhand whip tomorrow.


Written by – Cyle Myers
Images by – Kody McGregor