Justine Dupont Left Seeing Stars After Copping ‘A Coconut Tree’ To The Face At Jaws - Stab Mag

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'Coconut tree' is used figuratively here to describe the board of Coconut Willie. Very clever

Justine Dupont Left Seeing Stars After Copping ‘A Coconut Tree’ To The Face At Jaws

‘I couldn’t see well and was coughing up blood’.

elsewhere // Dec 27, 2022
Words by Ethan Davis
Reading Time: 2 minutes

French big wave waterwoman Justine Dupont has described the story of a collision with a ‘coconut tree’ while surfing Jaws three days ago that left her spending Xmas eve in a hyperbaric chamber. 

Read her IG post below

I haven’t paddled a wave that I’m really proud of in Jaws since my injury during the #peahichallenge 4 years ago. I ended up with a broken shoulder and ruptured knee ligaments 🥲 Since then, I was afraid to come back and relive the same experience. At the same time I dreamed of taking a real wave with a committed line to put myself in a position to make a barrel 😁 When I saw this Christmas swell I ask advices to @carlosburle and @gerglong. I took the last plane ticket that was left from Nazare. After 40 hours of travel, arrival at 2 a.m., 2 short hours of sleep, in the water at 6 a.m. thanks to @kolomona1_ 🙏🏼🙏🏼. The conditions were really nice, without being too big and with little wind which is rare for Jaws 🔥. When this wave came, I turned around and paddle hard, I shouted, I said to myself wow I’m there 😃. A fraction of seconds later I took a coconut tree on the face ( @coconut_willie 😅 🥥). The fins went over my foot and I felt right on the impact of the lip 💥 Like 4 years ago I saw a lot of stars again💫. Thank you @kolomona1_@kurtischongkee and all the boys for the rescue 🙏🏼😉. I was in pain everywhere, but I really wanted to take advantage of the conditions which were magnificent so I went back to the peak telling myself that I was fine. After 1 hour I still couldn’t see well, I wanted to vomit, I had a headache and I was coughing up blood. End of session. Thanks to @kai_lenny‘s family for the help and @have_you_seen_steve for the recovery tips 🙏🏼🙏🏼. I really don’t blame @coconut_willie, I stay positive, accidents are part of surfing (I’m starting to get used to it.😅) but I admit that I really wanted to surf this wave until the end 😅. It’s time to go back to Nazare, rest and get back to Maui as soon as possible I am sure this wave will come again . Thanks to everyone for the welcome, the good vibes and the help 🙏🏼🙏🏼

I love a story with lots of emojis.

You can read Coco Willie’s response here.

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