Gary Elkerton launching big wave event, the Mt Woodgee Challenge in New Zealand

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 May, 2007 : - - Catching the biggest wave in the world is one thing. Facing drowning, freezing to death and being eaten by a great white shark is another. Michael Donaldson reports on New Zealand's first big wave surfing challenge.

Gary Elkerton is not kidding when he says "people can die doing this". He's so not kidding he repeats the line a little later. And not just any death. The choices are drowning, freezing to death and being eaten by a great white shark.  But Elkerton aims to ensure nothing like this is going to happen when he organises New Zealand's first big wave surfing challenge, known as the Mt Woodgee Challenge, on the south coast of the South Island.

His offsider, Bede Durbidge, one of the best surfers in the world, doesn't seem too fazed by the concept of big waves and big sharks. It's the freezing to death thing that seems to have him concerned. After all, he is from Queensland and the thought of donning a super-thick wetsuit, hood, gloves and booties and crossing a snow-covered beach to get in the water is enough to make him think twice about this business.

You can almost hear him asking why New Zealand's biggest wave has to be on the south of Dunedin. Why can't it be in Raglan or Gisborne? The reason is weather.  "There are five or six places that have the biggest waves in the world," Elkerton explains. "In the South Island there exists a wave that could be the biggest in the world. We know there are waves in the 30ft (10m) to 50ft foot (16m) range - we're shooting for the 50-footer."

Read the full article at Stuff.co.nz