Page 184 - Think Like a Champion

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THINK LIKE A CHAMPION
} Remember when you get to the top, the another
wave will no doubt pound you again

} Monitor all conditions—sight, sound, smell, motion,
pressure

} Stabilize your own situation then look out for your
buddy

} Once you find your buddy, survival will depend on
both of you sharing the pain

Laird and Brock had to hold their breath for up to four
minutes as they dove to the bottom trying to avoid their
limbs being ripped apart by the ferocious impact as wave
after wave kept coming at them. Finally, Laird made it to
the top of the last wave of the set and anxiously searched
for his buddy. He saw Brock floating 200 yards away in a
pool of blood and no jet ski. He swam through the wash-
ing machine to Brock to find him badly injured and bleed-
ing. Before Laird could get them both to shore he had to
take off his wetsuit and, in MacGyver-like fashion, use it
as a tourniquet on his buddy’s nearly severed leg. He then
wrapped his arms around Brock and swam them both to
the jet ski bobbing in the crashing surf. He threw Brock
on top and opened throttle to shore. Of course, the shore
break was 30 feet high so the landing on the beach was the
next heroic act. Laird picked his spot, gunned the jet ski,
flew over the top of the wave and landed in the parking
lot, which was now filled with hundreds of spectators.
Laird pulled Brock off the jet ski to safety and then stand-
ing on shore realized that he was stark naked.

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