Surfer goes from small waves off Sidmouth to Hawaiian monster ‘Jaws’ - just five years after first picking up a board.

Sidmouth Herald: Adam Amin surfing Jaws. Picture: Glenn Tremble.Adam Amin surfing Jaws. Picture: Glenn Tremble. (Image: Archant)

A Sidmouth teenager has ridden his way to overnight stardom in the world of surfing after taking on one of the most famous - and dangerous - big-wave breaks on the planet.

Fearless Adam Amin paddled out alongside top names in the sport to ride the giant swell known as Jaws, off the coat of Maui - where the surf can exceed 60 feet.

The 19-year-old took on the mammoth Hawaiian break despite spending the majority of his relatively short surfing career riding small waves off Sidmouth seafront. Adam took up surfing just five years ago.

The former Sidmouth College student began the 3.6-mile paddle from the beach to the waves at Jaws on Sunday (December 6) during a round of the World Surf League.

Despite not being part of the competition, he managed to hitch a lift on the back of a jet-ski, before spotting a ‘huge wave’ in the distance.

He said: “I saw my opportunity to prove that I can surf Jaws, so I turned around while all the others were paddling out over the wave and caught this monster.

“I caught it and rode down what seemed like a liquid mountain.

“I got to the bottom and looked up…there towering above me was a face the size of a two-storey house.

“When I looked back it felt like I was going to make it, but there was a stretch of white water blocking my way and I got taken out – it felt like the ocean collapsed on me.

“I held my breath and took the worst beating I’ve ever had and finally made it to the surface.

“I then noticed a huge set coming towards me and I got pounded again and again by these massively powerful waves.

“I was knackered and drifting very close to rocks until suddenly a jet-ski rider picked me up and took me to safety.”

Adam made the comments to his friend and mentor, Toby Foster, whose write-up of the teenager’s exploits quickly spread in the surfing press.

Jurassic Paddle Sports owner and friend of Adam, Guy Russell told the Herald: “This truly is a massive moment, not only in Adam’s life, but in surfing as a sport. I am still in shock, but not surprised as he is a gifted surfer.

“To describe the scale of what he has done, it would be like a kid playing for Sidmouth Town Football Club and then, a year later, scoring the winning goal in the World Cup.”