“I Feel Like I Was Born For This” – Billy Kemper

The Occ-Cast is back, this time with a guy who blacked out at Jaws then paddled back out five minutes later to make sure he won his heat.

Yes, it’s Billy Kemper!

The Mauaian (pronounced like “Hawaiian”) storm trooper is a 3x Pe’ahi winner and the 2017 Big Wave World Champion, thanks primarily to his tendency to laugh in the face of wind-born monsters. Billy ain’t afraid, is what we’re trying to say, and when combined with a local knowledge of Maui’s ultimate apex, that fearlessness has led the 29-year-old to become more or less unbeatable at Jaws. 

In a sit-down with Oc, Billy discusses his love for big wave surfing, why he thinks the men should have finished the Jaws event on the big day last year, and how in that same event, he was saved from a near-death experience only to paddle back out five minutes later.

Crazy is one word for it, but we’ll let you draw your own conclusions.