Burrow shows The Right stuff
It is one of the world's most notorious breaks, so dangerous even WA surf veteran Taj Burrow had never dared to take it on - until now.
On Friday, Burrow ventured south from his Yallingup home to ride the "wildest wave" he has seen in 18 years of professional surfing and the result has been dubbed the most dangerous surf photo ever taken.
When Burrow, 36, agreed to tackle an infamous break near Denmark known as "The Right" with big wave surfer Mark Mathews and film the results, he assumed it would never happen.
"But sure enough, two months later, we're both free, there's pretty good-looking swell, they said 'are you ready'… and I was like 'oh God, I've committed'," Burrow said yesterday.
"I was pretty scared. I'd never been there before and basically surfing those kind of waves is a totally different sport to what I do, so it was pretty intimidating."
The wave is several kilometres offshore and when conditions are right, two surfers can fit in its massive barrel.
After being towed into the take-off by a jetski, Burrow and Mathews did just that, nailing several attempts as Mathews filmed the action.
But incredible vision Burrow posted online yesterday showed them swallowed by an immense wall of water during their last ride.
Mathews surfaced with a ruptured eardrum and cut face and Burrow was "a bit banged up" but with no regrets. "You can't put a measurement on those waves," he said. "They have no back to them and it was like the whole ocean was folding on to the reef. I've never surfed anything like it.
"I'm absolutely thrilled."
The idea came from Burrow's friend and Stab Magazine owner Sam McIntosh, who wanted the best and most dangerous surf image ever taken and a new approach to water photography.
Burrow, fourth in the world standings and on a break between events, was relieved not to be injured.
“I’m feeling great, I’m having a good year and I’m more consistent than usual, the title is there for the taking and it just depends who steps up and grabs it, which I’m planning on doing,” he said.
Mark Matthews is wiped out but Taj Burrow stays on his feet. Picture: CARVE Surfing Magazine
