Sion Milosky, a surfer from Hawaii who had gained fame recently for his prowess on large waves, died Wednesday during a late-afternoon session at Maverick's off Half Moon Bay, Calif. He was 35.
Milosky's death is only the second at Maverick's involving a surfer. The other victim was renowned big-wave charger Mark Foo, also from Hawaii, who drowned after a wipeout in 1994.
Milosky, one of many big-wave chargers on hand to greet the arrival of a late-season north swell at Maverick's, apparently got pummeled by a set wave in the waning daylight. Waves were not especially large by Maverick's standards, with faces measuring 25-40 feet, but conditions were sloppy.
Jamie Norris, a paramedic with Cal Fire who was on hand after Sion's body had been delivered ashore by other surfers via personal watercraft, would not confirm the identity of the victim, who was rushed to Seaton Coastside Medical Center after unsuccessful CPR efforts.
However, various news outlets began reporting the news Wednesday night, and numerous condolences directed toward Milosky and his family have appeared on Twitter and Facebook. Sources contacted for this report verified the victim as Milosky.
Milosky, who lived on Kauai with his wife and young children, made headlines last winter for riding what some said was the largest wave ever paddled into, at an offshore Oahu reef break. Below is a video about Sion and that adventure, posted on the Surfing magazine website on Jan. 27, 2010:
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