There aren’t all that many people who can truly call themselves “big wave surfers.” At what size does a wave become “big,” anyway? But we all know what big wave surfing is, despite the shimmering goalposts. For a long time, the big wave surfing world was populated mostly by men, but that’s been changing drastically over the last few years. Surfers like Keala Kennelly led the charge, and now, surfers like Emi Erickson are proving to the world that women can surf waves just as big. “I’m not trying to become a big wave surfer,” Erickson says. “I already am one. It’s just that the world is waking up late.”
Red Bull’s series, No Small Feat, follows Erickson and up-and-coming big wave rider Izzi Gomez as they prepare for the 2019 Jaws Big Wave Championship. It’s an interesting look behind the scenes of what, exactly goes through the mind of a person getting ready to surf waves of nearly unimaginable consequence.
