Page 128 of Fighting With Light

The judge calls for us to enter the water, and Cooper and I jog in, leap onto our boards, and paddle out. Once we’re onshore, we wait for the horn to proceed. It takes a few minutes, and I smile to myself. It doesn’t matter what’s happening in my world; when I’m out here, everything feels like it’s going to be okay.

The horn sounds and I check behind me looking at what’s coming. Cooper seems to think it’s worth taking, so he paddles out and takes the wave. He finishes and I wait for another wave to come. I skip the next one and take the one after, feeling better about it.

I paddle hard, ignoring the burn in my arm, and let the pain fade away as I leap to my feet and the wave peels just right. I’m able to ride its length perfectly. Pumping my board, I gain speed and drop into the pocket of the barrel where the wave is steepest. I pull a few top and bottom turns arcing my board nicely riding into the white water and pushing to finish strong. I ride the wave out, bail, and we grab the Sea-Doo’s to go back out.

I hold my arm up and hit my watch calling for time and score. There’s still twenty minutes left and my score is eight point four, sitting ahead of Cooper.Sweet.

Cooper goes again, and then it’s my turn. I take the next wave hard, throwing some snaps and a snap turn reverse, catching air in grab rail reverse, spinning all the way around, and landing back on the water towards the end of the wave.

I smile, standing all the way up on my board, leaping into the air and punch my fist in the air. The horn sounds signaling the end of the match.

When I get back to shore Aelia throws her arms around my neck. I spin her around and kiss her cheek.

“That was amazing,” she says in my ear.

“Thank you, baby,” I say and wait for the score to be called. The highest and lowest scores are dropped then the rest is averaged for a final score.

“Liam Coldwell seventeen point one, and Cooper Thompson fifteen point nine eight.”

“You did it!” Aelia yells and hugs me tighter.

“You’re my good luck charm,” I tell her and kiss her cheek.

Cooper walks up to us and shakes my hand. “Good job, man, well deserved. It was nice surfing with you,” he says.

“You too, Cooper, I hope to see you next season.”

He grins a boyish smirk. “Yeah, man, me too. Good luck in the finals, I’m rooting for you.”

I shake his hand and hold my other out for Aelia to sit down and chill out before the final round.

***

The final match has begun. My competitor, Antonio Oliveira, is shredding. I know my work is cut out for me.

I look towards shore where Aelia stands watching me and take a deep breath.I’m going to win this.

My turn comes and I give it everything I’ve got, putting power into my turns and arcs as gracefully as possible.

I start to lose track of time and space, falling into the rhythm of surfing and feeling the waves. We take turns one after the other.

Olivera lifts his watch checking time and we’re down to five minutes. He’s ahead of me by only a point and I think I can grab it. He takes his last run at it and he takes it well until the wave starts to lose steam and troughs right before he can carve into the wave. I have no idea how the judges are going to score that. All I can do is hope my last ride is enough to pull it together.

A wave rolls towards me and it doesn’t feel right so I wait for that feeling, that this wave is the right one.

My board bobs and then I sense it. The change the water moves and I know it’s my wave. I take it hard and fast, pulling everything I can manage, gaining speed. I catch air a few times and the wave holds steady, giving me time to dip in hard. I cut back one more time and I know it’s about to die. Taking my last moment, I carve the edge in a last ditch effort.

I jump off my board pointing my hand to the sky. I think I did it. The world finals title ismine.

We paddle to shore and Antonio and I fist bump while we wait for our final scores. The beach is almost quiet and Aelia’s hand slides in mine while we wait.

“Breathe, baby,” she says.

I puff out my cheeks and keep looking towards the scoreboard. The few minutes that pass feel like hours and my heart pounds harder than when I was out on the water.

“Final scores. Antonio Olivera coming in at seventeen point nine eight and Liam Coldwell, our new title holder, with eighteen point two points! Congratulations, Liam Coldwell, the new world champion!”

I drop my board and Aelia screams jumping into my arms. I’m in shock as I hold her.