Twiggy Baker’s North Pacific Trifecta: From Waimea to Mavericks to Victory at Thriller at Killers

When the swell of the season marched across the North Pacific, Twiggy didn’t just follow it, he rode it across three of the most iconic big-wave arenas in the world, culminating in a remarkable win at Thriller at Killers off the Todos Santos Islands near Ensenada, Mexico.

What makes the story even more extraordinary is that Twiggy wasn’t even originally in the event.

The Call After Waimea

Twiggy had just finished a six-hour session at Waimea Bay on Thursday when he checked his phone and saw a message from event organiser Gary Linden. One of the invited surfers had withdrawn. If Twig wanted the slot, it was his.

“I rushed home, packed my stuff and jumped on the first flight to Mavericks to collect my board and wetsuit,” Baker recalls.

He wasn’t exaggerating. The same Hawaiian swell that had detonated at Waimea was forecast to fill in at Mavericks the following day and it did.

Five Hours at Mavericks, Then Mexico

Friday at Mavericks was firing. Instead of conserving energy for the contest in Mexico, Twiggy paddled straight back into heavy water and surfed for another five hours.

“The same swell from Hawaii filled in at Mavs on Friday and I ended up surfing there for five hours because it was firing as well,” he says.

From there, it was a logistical sprint. He barely made his flight to San Diego that night, drove across the border to Ensenada, got to bed at 1 a.m., and woke up at 4:30 a.m. to board the boat out to the island. At 7:31 a.m., he caught his first wave of the event.

Three days. Three iconic big-wave breaks. One continuous swell.

Perfect 20-Foot A-Frames

When the boats pulled up at Killers, the conditions were extraordinary.

“The waves were absolutely firing. Perfect 20-foot A-frames out of the West doubling up on the reef,” Baker says. “I’ve surfed out there a few times over the years but never seen it as clean and perfect as the contest day. It was the best waves of the North Pacific trifecta.”

For a surfer who had just ridden the same swell at Waimea and Mavericks, there was something almost surreal about completing the triangle in Mexico.

“I didn’t go there to compete really,” he admits. “I just saw I had the chance to do something unique by surfing the same swell at the three different spots.”

Experience Over Expectation

At 52, Twiggy was one of the elder statesmen in the lineup. The field included younger big-wave specialists widely regarded as more explosive and progressive.

“I was on a serious roll after Waimea and Mavericks and I just seemed to take that energy and ride it through the event and relax and let the waves come to me,” he says. “There are a bunch of young big wave guys who are much better surfers than me so I didn’t ever really expect to win.”

That mindset, relaxed, present, unforced, proved to be his advantage. Rather than chasing waves, he let the rhythm of the swell guide him. The momentum from two days of heavy-water surfing carried straight into the contest.

The Edge Advantage

A major factor in his performance was equipment. Baker rode a 9’0” board throughout the entire trifecta, significantly shorter than the 10’0”+ guns many competitors relied on.

The board is part of a five-year design collaboration known as “The Edge,” developed with George Greenough, Mark Andrini and Mike Wallace.

“I was able to ride a 9’0 in the event while all the other competitors were on 10’0+ boards and I think it made a huge difference,” Baker explains.

The design allowed him to maintain speed and control while offering greater maneuverability — a subtle but critical edge in clean, doubling reef conditions.

Eyes on The Eddie

Despite the win, Twiggy’s focus remains firmly set on Hawaii.

“My only real goal is to keep my place in the Eddie and be in the best possible shape physically and mentally during the waiting period to give me a chance at winning it,” he says.

Outside of that, Twiggy is working with Rip Curl on future exploration projects, searching for new waves in Africa, scoring perfect barrels with the Search team, and lining up sessions at Dungeons and Sunset when the charts align.

A Swell, A Window, A Win

Twiggy Baker’s victory at Thriller at Killers wasn’t just a contest result. It was the culmination of a rare alignment — one swell lighting up three legendary breaks, a last-minute opportunity, and a veteran surfer trusting instinct, preparation, and innovation.

From six hours at Waimea…
to five at Mavericks…
to first place in Mexico less than 48 hours later.

It wasn’t just a win.

It was a North Pacific trifecta.