Surfing: Big wave suffers chewed up spat out at Cape Fear

Big wave surfers are finding Cape Fear is living up to it’s a name with the recent wild weather whipping up brutally heavy conditions at the Red Bull event.

The "untameable", heavy waves have been pounding Sydney's south coast with the event forced to be delayed an hour this morning.

The event only got the go-ahead after the competitors were given a "blind vote" and unanimously decided to risk body and life against the notorious break.

And if the opening heats are any guide, the surfers may live to regret their decision with the hammer-blow waves taking their fair share of victims.

Only three surfers in the opening two heats have succeeded in fighting off the surge of the wave and recording a clean score.