One Winter Story (2006)

Examines the life and legacy of Sarah Gerhardt. In February 1999, Sarah became the first woman to surf Maverick's, the monstrous wave that breaks in the freezing waters off Half Moon Bay in Northern California. Over the years, Maverick's has become the place where big wave surfers come to test their skills in some of the harshest surfing conditions in the world. Sarah's journey to Maverick's was anything but easy. Surfing became her escape from the hardships of home and faith became the guiding force in her life. One Winter Story traces Sarah's strength and determination to their roots in a beautiful montage of film, voice, memory and emotion. Her journey takes viewers from one fantastic surfing local to another-from the frigid and challenging conditions off the coast of Central California, to the massive walls of water on the Outer Reefs of Hawaii, and finally, to the ominous surfing conditions at Maverick's in Northern California. Through it all, we feel Sarah's love for this sometimes very dangerous sport. We share her fear and frustration, and then her determination to plunge into a traditionally male-dominated arena. Finally, we come to understand how her family and her faith in God help her take on the obstacles in her life.