EP.17: Sarah Gerhardt – Mavericks Maverick

Welcome back… thanks for tuning in as we find ourselves in steady flow of new episodes.

Thinking on this next one in our California omnibus, it would be fair to say that in a time where just about every outrageous human endeavor or era defining accomplishment has been done - one where you need to climb not one but 14 peaks to get into the record books, it becomes rarer and rarer that first ascents or descents, circumnavigations or pole to pole expeditions are celebrated.

Our guest for episode 17 is one of those rare people. In this instance, a first descent of a moving mountain from 20+ years ago, but arguably more relevant now than ever. Sarah Gerhardt was the first woman to surf the wave Mavericks in California’s Half Moon Bay.

A wave described as a ‘flat out kick ass wave that will pulverise you if you’re not on your toes”.

A wave that has launched the careers of surfers, photographers and many others, giving some the rides of their lives, but also a wave that has taken lives, remembering the great Mark Foo.

A wave that for 15 years was ridden alone by one man, Jeff Clarke before it was discovered by the big wave surfing community. 

It was Sarah Gerhardt however who braved these cold, dark, sharky waters dominated by a cold, unwelcoming crowd to paddle herself into the history books. What followed was instant fame and recognition but also instant backlash from the surfing community itself. From all appearances though Sarah took it in her stride, focusing on what was important and surrounding herself with a tight knit crew of peers - paddling against the flow when others wouldn’t.

We spoke on the madness of overnight acclaim to earning your stripes and navigating a male dominated line up. The intersection of science and sport and the journey of equity in women’s big wave surfing.

So here we go, Episode 17 of Hell or High Water with Sarah Gerhardt – Mavericks Maverick