"That was the best wave I've ever ridden in my life."
Surfers say things like this all the time, and it's often a hollow declaration. This best-ever wave is downgraded, exaggerated, superceded or matched by something not quite better, but different. We're prone to hyperbole - it goes hand in hand with being stoked.
But when Billy Kemper makes this claim, the surf world listens -- and for good reason. He's already the King of Jaws after winning out there four times, and he's made a name for himself as one of the hardest-working and hardest-charging surfers to call Hawaii home.
By now, most have seen this wave, which reverberated through Instagram feeds and on screens across the globe. But Billy recently dropped a new clip aptly titled "Home Court" that takes us behind the scene for the hit-and-run mission that led up to this fateful session.
That day actually began with Kemper checking Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu. When a lay-day was called for the Sunset Open-- a contest he would eventually win -- Kemper jumped on a plane to Maui, and headed straight for Pe'ahi.
2020 Ride of the Year Entry: Billy Kemper at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on January 23, 2020. Angle 5. Video by Marc Chambers.
Jaws has become the gold-standard when it comes to big wave surfing and it's a spot Kemper has a special relationship with.
"Jaws is my obsession. It's a relationship that will never die. It's very emotional, there's a lot of pride, there's a lot of joy, and there's just something there that I cannot get enough of," he says in the clip.
"The rythm and flow that I was in just felt like it was getting better and better. It felt like there was a lead up to something that hadn't happened yet."
It truly has been an epic winter for Kemper, and this wave was just the icing on a cake that also included wins at Jaws, Sunset and the Pipe Trials. For a full rundown on this historic wave, including a moment-to-moment play-by-play on the ride itself, watch Kemper at his "Home Court."
Jaws Is Kemper's "Home Court"
Ben Collins
"That was the best wave I've ever ridden in my life."
Surfers say things like this all the time, and it's often a hollow declaration. This best-ever wave is downgraded, exaggerated, superceded or matched by something not quite better, but different. We're prone to hyperbole - it goes hand in hand with being stoked.
But when Billy Kemper makes this claim, the surf world listens -- and for good reason. He's already the King of Jaws after winning out there four times, and he's made a name for himself as one of the hardest-working and hardest-charging surfers to call Hawaii home.
By now, most have seen this wave, which reverberated through Instagram feeds and on screens across the globe. But Billy recently dropped a new clip aptly titled "Home Court" that takes us behind the scene for the hit-and-run mission that led up to this fateful session.
That day actually began with Kemper checking Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu. When a lay-day was called for the Sunset Open-- a contest he would eventually win -- Kemper jumped on a plane to Maui, and headed straight for Pe'ahi.
Jaws has become the gold-standard when it comes to big wave surfing and it's a spot Kemper has a special relationship with.
"Jaws is my obsession. It's a relationship that will never die. It's very emotional, there's a lot of pride, there's a lot of joy, and there's just something there that I cannot get enough of," he says in the clip.
"The rythm and flow that I was in just felt like it was getting better and better. It felt like there was a lead up to something that hadn't happened yet."
It truly has been an epic winter for Kemper, and this wave was just the icing on a cake that also included wins at Jaws, Sunset and the Pipe Trials. For a full rundown on this historic wave, including a moment-to-moment play-by-play on the ride itself, watch Kemper at his "Home Court."
Billy Kemper
Lakey Peterson ripping at lowers, Billy Kemper takes out the Men's Ride of The Year Award, and Coco Ho keeping the vibes right at home.
It takes serious courage and commitment to scratch into waves like these.
2020 Men's Paddle Nominee: Billy Kemper at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 12, 2019. Photos by Marco Arellano, Dooma Phhotos, Aaron Lynton
Grant Baker, Russell Bierke, Lucas Chianca, Nathan Florence, Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny, Tom Lowe, Eli Olson, Nic Von Rupp, and Ian Walsh.
2020 Men's Paddle Nominee: Billy Kemper at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 12, 2019. Video by WSL Video Team.
Hawaii/Tahiti Nui
There are few, if any 17 years olds surfing quite as well as the phenomenon from Maui.
2020 Women's Paddle Nominee: Paige Alms at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on November 15, 2019. Photo by Aaron Lynton.
2020 cbdMD Women's XXL Biggest Wave Nominee: Maya Gabeira at Nazaré, Portugal on February 11, 2020. Photos by Helio Antonio, Pedro Cruz
2020 cbdMD Men's XXL Biggest Wave Nominee: Kai Lenny at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii on December 31, 2019.