A few months ago, Torrey Meister was not really a professional surfer. A casualty of contracting surf team rosters, Meister reclaimed his place among the pros by winning the O’Neill Cold Water Classic, a contest that served as a veritable recruiting and hiring event for O’Neill. Just a few months later, Torrey paddled into one of the most impressive Backdoor of the winter. We linked up with him afterwards to hear about that wave and the moments leading up to it.
“It was just one of those special waves that come in once in a while,” said Torrey Meister of his wave at Backdoor.
I saw the swell rising from my house. I live at Sunset, so I thought Pipe might be good, and I grabbed my 6’ 6”. I probably could have used a bigger board.
It was one of my first sessions at bigger Pipe. It was my first wave. Usually the best waves hit that inside reef. I whipped around, and I started paddling as hard as I could. I didn’t think I was going to get in. And at the last second, I got in. I was looking at the left, and I heard Kekoa Bacalso yell, “Go Torrey, Go!” And that was the last push I needed to get into that wave. I always look for rights out there, even when there are a lot more lefts. The drop was kind of late and my board held. It was a little wobbly, but it held in the tube.
I just remember looking up and going, “This wave is so big. I hope I don’t fall.”
I don’t think I’ve ever been spit out of a wave like that. I couldn’t see anything, and I came out and couldn’t believe I made it. It was probably the biggest Backdoor wave I’ve ever gotten. It was just one of those special waves that come in once in a while.
Torrey Meister – double shakas at the O’Neill House during Pipe Masters.
