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Legendary Big-Wave Surfer Drowns in California

Sion Milosky went under at famed surf break Mavericks

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 17, 2011 5:29 PM CDT

(Newser) – The man credited in surfing lore with paddling into the biggest wave of all time (a 60-footer in Hawaii) has been killed in a surfing accident near San Francisco, reports the San Jose Mercury News. Sion Milosky, a 35-year-old Hawaii native, was surfing 20-foot waves at the renowned Mavericks surf break when he went under and got held there by two successive waves. Surfing Magazine has details on those claims about hitting the biggest wave of all time.

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A YouTube frame grab of Sion Milosky. (YouTube)

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Showing 3 of 12 comments

mountainrogue

Mar 19, 2011 2:23 PM CDT

Not a tragedy! Childlike irresponsibility! Adrenaline junkies are everywhere and I dont feel a bit sorry for these nuts or responsible for their rescues when they climb mountains or surf huge man killing waves with white sharks. But we send the cavalry after them and they get top billing in our disaster porn media. I THINK DUDE GOT WHAT HE WANTED I guess no better way to go than doing what you love but DUH now a lot of life wont be lived and a family and friends denied his life too. I think if people can do this, heroin,crack and whatever should be legal too. How about the 1000's of poor Japanese that surfed their waves with no choice thats a tragedy.

hatchling1

Mar 18, 2011 7:16 PM CDT

Mavericks is a killer break, but thrill seeking surfers keep testing themselves. I understand. I met and married a big wave surfer. It's an incredibly intoxicating sport... adrenaline rushes and danger are almost always with you, but so is beauty and a feeling of oneness with the forces of nature. Thank god relatively mild but limiting injuries forced hubby to hang up his stick before he got killed. RIP Sion.

dilbertfan

Mar 18, 2011 10:38 AM CDT

When you engage in extreme sports with such dangers your testing fate and it is only a matter of time before it bites you. I'm sure he died doing what he loved and only he could answer if it was worth it.

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Legendary Big-Wave Surfer Drowns in California

Sion Milosky went under at famed surf break Mavericks

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[Videos (1)]

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

California • obituary • Hawaii • surfers • big-wave surfing • Sion Milosky

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