F1 Star Lewis Hamilton Reveals Crazy Near-Death Experience At “20ft Pipeline With Kelly Slater”  - Stab Mag

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F1 Star Lewis Hamilton Reveals Crazy Near-Death Experience At “20ft Pipeline With Kelly Slater” 

“I nearly drowned about three times… When I got in I was like, ‘wow, massive props to these surfers.’ 

news // Nov 5, 2024
Words by Ethan Davis
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Lewis Hamilton is the winningest Formula One driver in the history of the sport, with seven World Drivers’ Championships, a record-breaking 103 wins, and nearly 200 podium finishes to his name. 

The 39-year-old also loves his extracurriculars – among them surfing. 

Speaking on the popular YouTube series Hot Ones, in which celebrities answer questions whilst consuming increasingly spicy chicken wings, Hamilton revealed a near-death experience he had at Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. 

Around the 15-minute mark, Hamilton shares: 

“The biggest wipeout I had was with Kelly Slater at Pipeline. It was like 20ft waves and Kelly was like, “there’s no way you’re coming out there”. As I tried to paddle in, I got sucked into the kill zone basically. I turn around and I see a four wave set coming and I was like ‘Oh no, it’s all over’.” 

“I dove down and I could hear this wave crash behind me, my board got ripped off and snapped in half. I came back up gasping for air and the next one was coming so I dove again and grabbed the reef again. I nearly drowned about three times. But from there I was able to swim in but I was like, ‘wow, massive props to these surfers.’

Hear that guys? Massive props.

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