Jackson Baker is feeling more comfortable on the world's biggest surfing stage as he prepares for his second Championship Tour season.
But the powerhouse Merewether surfer is not afraid to admit that level of comfort does not extend to tackling the season-opening venue, the treacherous barrels of Pipeline in Hawaii.
Baker has been in Hawaii for the past two weeks getting ready for the Pipe Masters, which could start Monday morning (AEDT), and the Sunset Beach Pro from February 12.
On debut last year, Baker narrowly survived the mid-season cut to keep his place on tour before finishing 24th. The natural-footer bowed out in round three at Pipeline and Sunset and he was hoping to do better this time to kick start his year and "cruise" into the second half of the 10-stop tour.
"There's always nerves and excitement, that's just normal, but this year I definitely feel that extra year of experience," Baker said.
"I know what the tour's about, where the locations are ... but I guess the biggest thing for me, I'm definitely not going to say I'm comfortable at Pipe, I'm definitely more comfortable at Sunset.
"But it's exciting, it's a challenge and it's kind of cool to put yourself in uncomfortable positions.
"I'm keen to get the year started, get a big result so once it comes to that cut time, I'm not even worried about it. That's the goal, get the job done early."
Baker won a low-scoring round one heat at Pipeline last year before losing to two-time world champion John John Florence 14.57 to 5.4.
Huge swell and crowded line-ups at Pipeline have made it hard to prepare this year but Baker said he was ready "to have a crack".
"I've been getting a few but it's more just knowing that you're going to be ready when you get those limited opportunities," he said.
"It's just preparing for that and knowing that when they come, you'll have a swing.
"Last year I never really had too many opportunities at Pipe. I just want to go out there and leave everything out in the water, take calculated risks, know the ones I want to go on, look for those and when they come, swing.
"I got a pretty good vision out there last year and probably the goal this year is to make one [barrel] like that. That would be a dream. Get a second chance at that one that I didn't quite come out of in round one last year."
Better known for his on-wave power game, Baker ended the year with an elimination round exit in another heavy barreling break, Teahupo'o, in Tahiti, where he suffered a concussion in the lead-up.
He said his preparation in Hawaii had been intense.
"I've been getting flogged, but that's just standard procedure over here, but I'm all good," he said.
"I had some big sessions at Sunset but survived it and in the line-up at Pipe.
"But the biggest thing I learned at Chopes is taking calculated risks, knowing what ones are the right ones.
"There's a lot of waves at Teahupo'o and Pipe where you'll feel the ocean draw everything off the reef and they're the ones you don't want. Because if you fall, you're on that dry volcanic bottom.
"It's just about getting started early in your heat, getting in position for the waves that you want, not the scary ones you don't."
Baker faces defending world champion Filipe Toledo and Hawaiian trials winner Josh Moniz in the opening, seeding round.
Merewether clubmate Ryan Callinan, who missed last year's mid-season cut but dominated on the second-tier Challenger Series to secure a return, faces countryman Callum Robson and Brazilian Yago Dora.
Baker was glad to have Callinan back and had been training with him in Hawaii.
"It's very cool to have Ryan back, he's like an older brother figure to me," Baker said.
"I grew up watching everything he did and he kind of paved the way for me and Morgan [Cibilic].
"He was the first to qualify and he inspired us to know it's possible. He's someone I look up to."
Cibilic missed the mid-season cut in 2022 then was just short of requalifying in the Challenger Series.
Baker, who narrowly qualified for the 2022 tour, and will start with a better seeding this year but he said that meant little.
"This year I do have a better seeding but when there's the best 32 in the world, I don't think there is a good seeding," he said.
"This year I'm a higher seeding and I've drawn Filipe Toledo, last year's world champion, and a wildcard like Josh Moniz, so you're always going to have a hard heat.
"There's no easy heats and it's just about being ready to go out there.
"There's other guys in the water but you're running your own show. You're actually versing yourself, just trying to do the best you can."
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