Matt Bevilacqua has attempted another world first alongside Northcliffe star Georgia Miller as the two took on a helicopter board tow
Most people run away from their fears but Matt Bevilacqua chases them.
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MOST people run away from their fears but Matt Bevilacqua chases them.
Two years after taking on the notorious Shipstern Bluff on his paddleboard, also known as Australia’s heaviest wave, the 27-year-old jumped at the chance to experience sponsor Nutri-Grain’s latest Unstoppable challenge.
In another world first, the Kurrawa ironman joined forces with Northcliffe star Georgia Miller to attempt to catch a wave via helicopter tow off the coast of New Zealand.
“It was a bit of deja vu to when Nurti-grain called me up to do shipsterns,” he said.
“It was exciting, tough and pretty scary.
“Just the logistics of having a helicopter and a tow rope, there were a lot of things that were out of your control.
“I’m glad we came away unscathed.”
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One of the scariest moments of the whole venture came when the 2017/18 Nutri-Grain series winner fell off his board and face planted into the icy cold waters.
“It almost knocked me out to be honest,” he said.
“I was seeing stars for a little while.
“It’s hard for him (helicopter pilot) to have a gradual increase in speed so at times we were going sixty or seventy kilometres an hour.
“Hitting the water was like hitting something pretty solid.”
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Despite already having a professional series to his name, Bevilacqua admitted that he still longs for a Coolangatta Gold crown as the countdown for iron’s toughest race approaches the three week mark.
“For me it’s ticking off the bucket list,” he said.
“For me, it’s an Australian title, the Coolangatta Gold, a world title and I’ve got a Nutri-Grain series so I’ve only got one of the four ticked.
“The next three are within my sights.”
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