Thu, Jun 12, 2014
Very calculated, and gung ho,' that's how big wave surfing legend Garrett McNamara describes Andrew Cotton, the British big wave surfer who has spent the last few winters carving out a name for himself in the hallowed halls of global big wave surfing. Ride shotgun with Andrew through the heart of an epic winter season as he experiences intense highs and extreme lows in his hunt for the biggest waves on the planet. In this episode we take a look back at Andrew's journey into the world of big wave surfing to help us understand how he ended up as one of only a handful of riders pushing the boundaries of possibility in a sport where success and failure are never far apart. From the frigid waves of Mullaghmore, Ireland, to record breaking sessions at Nazaré, Portugal, we're in for a wild ride.
Tue, Jun 17, 2014
In this episode of Behind the Lines Andrew Cotton heads to Nazaré during the St Jude storm for one of the craziest and scariest surfing sessions of his life. As he and tow partner Garrett McNamara chase monsters, fellow big wave charger Maya Gabeira's lifeless body is pulled from the sea by her tow partner Carlos Burle, driving home the reality of the risks these athletes face in the most dangerous surf conditions on the planet. When Garrett decides to stop surfing Andrew is forced to make one of the toughest decisions of his big wave career. This is the behind-the-scenes story of one of the most famous days in big wave surfing history. Don't miss it.
Tue, Jun 24, 2014
It was the best of winters for big wave surfers and it was the worst of winters. In this episode of Behind the Lines, Andrew Cotton, one of the men in the thick of it all, recounts amazing stories from his historic tow-in session with Garrett McNamara and gives us a peek into the logistical nightmare of a sport that relies on personal watercraft both for propulsion and for safety. When his PWC hook up fails at the last moment Andrew opts to surf macking Nazaré the old fashioned way, but will he catch a wave?
Wed, Jul 2, 2014
Andrew Cotton is in Nazaré, Portugal for one of the biggest swells of the winter. Unfortunately there are no jet skis in town and no jet skis means no surfing. After a frustrating paddle session, Andrew's friends Sebastian Steudtner and Tom Butler show up. Together they scrounge up some jet skis to rent. What ensues is an awesome tow-in session with just three guys out whipping each other into some incredible waves. It might not be the biggest day ever but it's still huge. Ride along with them as they snag a couple of beasts and try to avoid that apocalyptic inside section.
Tue, Jul 15, 2014
Mullaghmore, Ireland is a relatively new addition to the global big wave surfing scene. It's cold, temperamental, and very, very heavy. But when all the elements align it's one of the best big waves in Europe and over the last decade it has gone from a little-known spot favored by local hellmen to a world-renowned, media-frenzy wave. Andrew Cotton caught one of the best swells of the winter at Mullaghmore. It was wild, windy, and the waves were unbelievable. The water footage in particular from this swell will chill you to the bone and make your heart skip a beat.
Thu, Jul 24, 2014
In this final episode of Behind the Lines, Andrew Cotton's big wave season comes to a climax back where it all began in Nazaré, Portugal. One a wild, windy day at North Canyon he is whipped into a beast by Garrett McNamara that goes on to be touted by some of the world's media as the biggest wave ever surfed. In the end, he doesn't scoop the prestigious Billabong XXL Award - there were bigger waves surfed last winter. But more important is Andrew's own take on events that day: with a brutally honest post-surf interview he demonstrates a hunger and humility that should leave no one in doubt as to why he is one of the most respected big wave surfers on the planet today.