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Despite having a fantastic first heat and going on to make the semifinals, Twiggy Baker isn't sure if he'll ever return to Nazare. Twig said of the experience:

"Yesterday was pretty unique in my surfing life, riding a twenty foot double up shore break where you have to catch two waves in an hour. Nazare as a wave is a phenom, as challenging and beautiful as any big wave I've surfed but the dangers involved seem to outweigh the rewards."

"Those twenty to thirty minutes during each heat, on the back of a ski, holding on with all your strength while jumping 10 foot foamies were some of the most terrifying experiences of my life and something I can't see myself repeating?"

Webcast viewers were sure there'd be some beatings yet the cameras seemed to miss them all, perhaps owing to the distance from the headland and the vast size of the lineup. This little vid captures a few of the poundings dished out and goes some way toward explaining Twiggy's reluctance to return.

And for those who didn't watch the webcast, the contest was won by Jamie Mitchell.