Chris Ross and the sudden tempest of a too-deep Box tube, WA

If you know Western Australia and you’re into big waves, either to ride or to spectate, y’know the name Chris Ross aka Crossy. Ain’t a man down there in Western Australia’s south-west who is quite as adept at mastering the deep concavities of difficult tubes as Crossy. “He’s the biggest charger I’ve ever shot with,” says the photographer, Perth-based Chris Gurney. “He always goes the biggest waves, even if it’s not a good direction and it’s going to max out and closeout, and he’ll still take off and pull in. Half the time he makes ‘em. He’s perfect to shoot. That wave wasn’t one of the nice roll ins, either. The best waves tend to let you in and when they hit the end of the reef they wrap and go crazy. Crossy is always so deep, he’s always on the foam ball or on the shockwave. This wave is trademark Crossy.” Photography fans will note that the lens that stole this image is the longer 85mm. “I like shooting tight like that,” says Chris. “It fills the frame with the wave.”