Getting to know Salt Rock surfer Tammy-Lee Smith

Two of Salt Rock’s very own ‘salt-rats,’ Grant “Twiggy” Baker and Tammy-Lee Smith travelled to Hawaii for the Pe’ahi Challenge Big Wave Tournament from October 15 to November 11.

Baker powered his way through three heats of 10 metre plus surf to finish third in the Pe’ahi Challenge in Hawaii and retain his No 1 spot on the 2016/17 World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave Tour (BWT) rankings.

Smith, who received a late call-up as a wildcard for the event and was surfing on Maui for the first time, caught one wave as the wind affected waves made her Round 1 heat extremely challenging.

But unfortunately it wasn’t enough to advance to the final and she was eliminated from the competition.

Smith sat down for a short question-and-answer session. Read on below:

Q: Where did you earn to surf?

A: I learnt to surf along the North Coast of KZN.

Q: What are three of the most memorable contest results have you achieved?

A: Quarterfinals in the Mr Price Pro when I was about 17 years old surfing against all my heroes.

There used to be a 1-star QS at Pipeline and I made the final there once or twice.

Winning the SA Champs a couple times back in the day was always special.

Q: When did you realise you enjoyed riding big waves, and who influenced you?

A: I’ve always enjoyed more solid waves growing up on the North Coast. When I was about 19 or so I decided I wanted to ride some bigger waves and I headed to Cape Town for a smallish Sunset swell with Ian Armstrong and Holly Armstrong.  I loved it but being on the QS I never really found the time to ride more swells. I also thought that someone would come take my hand to do it with them, but it doesn’t really work like that I’ve figured out. You just got to go out there and do it. I have been living and working in Europe for the past couple years and I just moved home this year. I called Twiggy up, ordered a board and decided any swell I saw I was going to head to Cape town. Obviously seeing guys like Josh Redman and Twiggy amps me up, and they have both been really supportive.

Q: Where have you been riding big waves and what size boards have you been using?

A: I got a Twig board 9’6 and up till now I have only surfed Sunset in Cape Town.

Q: Where and when was the largest big wave session you’ve had?

A: I am not sure how big it was but I had a really fun session at Sunset in Cape Town in August. Twiggy sent me a message to say get to Cape Town to do some training for a week. I rode 2 or 3 days at crayfish factory finding my feet on my new board and then paddled out to Sunset.

Q: Who do you usually charge big waves with?

A: The swell at Sunset I surfed with Caitlin Moir and Holle Wlokas, and I can’t wait to hang out and surf more swells with them. Both are such legends and we push each other.

Q: Have you travelled overseas to surf, and have you surfed big waves outside SA?

A: Well, I was on the QS for 5  years or so and I have done a couple Hawaii seasons. But I was mostly there just for the Haleiwa QS contest so I would always be focusing on that, but most seasons I would get a session or two on the bigger days at Sunset (Hawaii).

Q: Tell me a bit more about your plans to visit Hawaii in December – your objectives, training, equipment, contacts there, etc

A: Ya, still in the planning phases and just waiting to get my visa. I plan to go to Hawaii for December for about 3 weeks. I will probably go straight to Maui because I have never been there but also spend a few days on the North Shore. I have a few friends on the North Shore from going there when I was on tour but my friend Paige Alms lives on Maui and I’ll definitely contact her to surf. She is such a charger and I look up to her. I have been doing a lot of breath-hold training and just getting myself as fit as I can.  My goal for Hawaii is to just get some solid waves.

Q: Explain what it will take to  be moved from the Alternate list to becoming an invitee to the women’s big wave events

A: I am not a hundred percent sure but just earning my stripes I guess. Go over to those places and putting my time in. The other girls have all been working at this a lot longer than me so I feel grateful just to be on the alternate list and work my way up. But being on the actual invitees list is my goal hence going to Hawaii this season.

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