In the ever evolving world of big wave surfing the women have seen a marked rise in visibility and performance. This year, the “Red Bull Magnitude” event for women was a big shot in the arm, putting the top water women on the planet on notice and giving them even bigger impetus to send it! With a $40,000 prize purse the best and gnarliest women were super empowered to showcase their mettle.
When it comes to free surfing large Sunset or Waimea Bay Emi Erickson, daughter to big wave legend Roger Erickson, is by and far a standout. Shown here on this crazy Waimea lipper , Erickson is holding up family traditions on point. Shooting Waimea Bay is always an adventure. Negotiating the dangerous shore break is never, ever graceful and dodging big sets once the photog hits the line up is always an adrenal affair. The results however are usually very gratifying as was the case on this day December 12, 2020. Publisher Mike Latronic had no problem with the shore break that day as he had shuttled over by jet ski from an outer reef location he was covering earlier that morning. Latronic recalls, “I actually kept asking my ski driver to position at a certain angle, in a particular zone for the oncoming sets and it really paid off on this sequence of Emi! When I was looking through the lens I was sure that something special happened and sure enough when I got home and saw Emil charging and that lip curdling I knew this moment was special! So stoked the crew agreed to use it for the cover!!”