Big wave surfer wipes out on 20ft Mavericks monster

Despite being at home on Maui’s colossal waves, South African big wave surfer Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker got a rude awakening when he wiped out on a 20-foot monster at Mavericks this week.

The two-time winner of the Body Glove Mavericks International found himself among a modest number of surfers who charged out for the first ‘proper’ day at the fabled break this year.

As the monster sets rolled in, Baker found himself in the perfect position to the claim the wave ahead of the pack.

As cool as you like, Baker makes the steep drop-in down the wall of water.

He seems in the clear but as he attempts a turn he realises that he is to be outrun by the gargantuan body of water crashing down on him.

Resigning himself to this fact, the pro leaps from his board and is smothered by a wall of white water.

Baker later emerged unharmed.