Interview with Sarah Baum |
By John McCarthy
Sarah going for it at G-Land
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Hey Sarah, you’ve just got back from a trip to Bali and G-Land, did you guys score good waves?
YEAH WE GOT SOME SICK WAVES THE WHOLE TRIP I THINK THE WAVES ONLY GOT AS SMALL AS 2FT SO WE SURFED EVERY DAY.
In terms of hanging in Bali what was the highlight surfwise?
I THINK SURFING G-LAND IT WAS SO SICK TO GET LEFTS LIKE THAT AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS MAKE THE DROP THEN STAND THERE AND GET BARRELLED OFF YOUR HEAD.
Who was on the trip with you?
IT WAS DAVEY VAN ZYL, DAVEYS MOM’SBOYFRIEND ANDREW, MY DAD CHRIS, ONE OF MY DAD’S MATES STEWART AND TANAH RIVALAND.
When you went to G-Land did you go overland or fast boat?
WE WENT ON THE FAST BOAT, IT WAS SO SICK ON THE WAY THERE BECAUSE WE WERE SO AMPED TO GO SURF BUT ON THE WAY BACK THERE WAS A HUGE SWELL COMING SO THE SWELL WAS PRETTY BIG AND MOST OF US ALMOST GOT SICK.
What was the wave at G-Land like?
TO SURF LEFTS LIKE THAT WAS SO SICK I AM GOOFY SO I NEVER GET GOOD LEFTS AT HOME SO IT WAS REALLY COOL AND THE CROWDS WEREN’T TOO BAD THEY COULD ALL SURF. THEY ALL TOOK THEIR TURNS, SO WE ALL GOT WAVES.
How old are you?
I AM 15.
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Inside race track at Uluwatu
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Finding the lip
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Were there any other girls surfing there?
NO BUT THERE WAS THIS BODYBOARDER CHICK FROM HAWAII THAT GOT SO DEEP ON SOME WAVES. ONE DAY IT WAS LIKE 8 FOOT AND SHE WAS CHARGING! I HAVE NEVER SEEN A GIRL CHARGE LIKE THAT.
Did you have a hard time in the lineup or was it easy to get waves?
NO. THEY GAVE YOU RESPECT IF YOU GIVE THEM RESPECT.
I heard a couple of guys had to be airlifted out after getting smashed on the reef, what happened?
ON THE BIG DAY IN THE MORNING IT WAS ABOUT 6-8FT AND ONE GUY WENT OVER THE FALLS REALLY BAD AND HIT THE REEF ON HIS FACE AND GOT CHEESE GRATED AND POPPED HIS SHOULDER OUT. THE OTHER GUY I AM NOT TOO SURE WHAT HAPPENED, BUT HE ALSO POPPED HIS SHOULDER OUT, BUT BACKWARDS. I DON’T THINK YOU CAN POP IT BACK WITHOUT SURGERY. ONE OF THE GUYS DIDN’T HAVE INSURANCE AND IT COST HIM US$6000 TO PAY FOR THE HELICOPTER TO COME AND PICK HIM UP AND TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL.
I believe you were charging, pulling into a couple of barrels weren’t you scared of hitting the reef?
ON THE LOW TIDE IT IS REALLY GNARLY THE REEF IS SO SHALLOW , THE HIGH TIDE IS ALSO GNARLY BUT IT RUNS A LOT MORE AND NOT AS HOLLOW. WE SURFED KONGS AT THE LOW TIDE AND THEN MONEY TREES AND SPEEDIES ON THE HIGHER TIDES. AFTER A FEW DAYS WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO SURF AT WHICH TIDE. ITS SO SICK BECAUSE AT AROUND 10:30 EVERY DAY, THE TRADE WINDS PICK UP WHICH IS OFFSHORE AND THE SURF STARTS TO COOK AFTER THE OFFSHORE HAS BEEN BLOWING FOR A WHILE.
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Applying a bit of back foot pressure
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And throwing the tail out for good measure
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Did you hit the reef and have you got the scars to prove it?
AT G-LAND I DID A FEW TIMES ON MY BUM, BUT THANK GOODNESS I DIDN’T GET CUT, BUT WHEN I WAS SURFING BALANGAN IT WAS LOW TIDE AND I KICKED MY FOOT ON THE REEF WHEN I WAS SWIMMING TOWARDS THE SURFACE AND I SLICED MY FOOT OPEN PRETTY BAD.
How did your boards go and what did you ride most of the time?
I TOOK TWO 6.8’S A 5.0 FISH AND A 6.2 GUN. MOST OF THE TIME I SURF ONE OF THE 6.8’S AND IT WENT REALLY WELL.
Does the wave at G-Land compare to anything we have at home?
NO WAY. IT WAS THE BEST WAVE I HAVE EVER SEEN. EVEN IF IT WAS A RIGHT I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WAVE LIKE THAT WITH MY OWN EYES.
Would you say its helped your surfing to go and ride those waves?
YEAH I FEEL MY SURFING HAS REALLY IMPROVED.
Were there times when you were like, “no way this is too heavy!”
YEAH ON THE DAY AT G-LAND WHEN IT WAS LIKE 8 FT IT WAS SO GNARLY! I WAS SO SCARED, BUT I SURVIVED, HAHA.
What camp did you stay in, was it cool?
WE STAYED AT JOYOS SURF CAMP, IT WAS SO SICK. THE VIBE WAS REALLY MELLOW AND WE MADE SOME GOOD FRIENDS. THE FOOD WAS GREAT. STAYING IN THE JUNGLE WAS A COOL EXPERIENCE – THERE WERE LIKE THESE WEIRD GECKO'S, AND MONKEYS THAT WOULD WAKE US UP AT FIRST LIGHT.
So where is next on your list of cool places to travel to and go surfing?
AT THE MOMENT I AM AT JBAY WITH MY PARENTS AND DAVEY VAN ZYL. I JUST MADE THE SA TEAM FOR THE 3RD TIME IN A ROW TO SURF IN THE ISA WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPS WHICH WILL BE HELD IN NEW ZEALAND IN JANUARY 2010 SO THAT WILL BE MY NEXT OVERSEAS TRIP. THEN NEXT YEAR WE WANT TO DO A BOAT TRIP AND WE ARE KEEN TO GO TO THE MALDIVES OR THE MENTAWIS.
This kid is not scared of using her rail
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