Gearóid McDaid: The Sligo surfer hoping the ride an Olympic wave

The odds of the young Irishman qualifying are long, not least because he’s been stuck at home in Sligo for the last year when he’d usually be criss-crossing the globe for training and competition

Sligo surfer Gearóid McDaid is chasing a spot at this year’s Olympic Games. Picture: Conor Flanagan

Conor Maguire put Irish big wave surfing on the international map last year and now one of his best mates, Gearóid McDaid, would like to match him, but in a very different way.

He was churning around nearby, on the back of a jet-ski, when Maguire ripped through that astonishing 60-foot barrel in Mullaghmore last October and has no qualms admitting he was absolutely terrified.