Footage from the WSL Awards. All creds. www.worldsurfleague.com In November 2011, surfer Garrett McNamara, who resides in Hawai'i, surfed a record-breaking giant wave: 78 feet (23.8 m) from trough to crest, at Nazaré.[7] On 28 January 2013, McNamara returned to the spot and successfully surfed a wave that appeared even larger, but is awaiting an official measurement.[8] Then, on October 28, 2013, Carlos Burle surfed another wave that is currently being scrutinized as possibly the largest wave ever ridden. On that same day, female big-wave surfer Maya Gabeira experienced a near-death wipeout, but was rescued after losing consciousness. Such very high breaking waves form due to the presence of the underwater Nazaré Canyon.[9] The canyon creates constructive interference between incoming swell waves which tends to make the waves much larger. In August 2012, a freak wave killed a 5 year old British girl and her grandfather walking along Salgado Beach. Surfers: Martin Jeri - El Buey - Chile Grant Baker - Pico Alto - Peru Jamie Mitchell - Belharra - France Justin Holland - Cow Bombie - Australia Brad Domke - Cyclops - Australia Andrew Marr - Dungeons - South Africa Alex Zawadzki - Shipstern Bluff - Australia Fede Mekis - Punta De Lobos - Chile Peter Conroy - Mullaghmore - Ireland John John Florence - Cloudbreak - Fiji Dean Morrison - The Right - Australia Tyler Larronde - Mavericks - USA Gabriel Villaran - Puerto Escondido - Mexico Makua Rothman, - Waimea Bay - Hawaii Mason Ho, - Waimea Bay - Hawaii John John Florence - Waimea Bay - Hawaii Koa Rothman - Teahupoo - Tahiti Shane Dorian - Jaws - Hawaii Antonio Silva - Nazare - Portugal Big wave surfing is the ultimate celebration of extreme surfing. Challenging deadly waves in harsh weather and ocean conditions takes a very serious approach. Big wave surfers are not interested in performance. Forget perfect cutbacks, stunning floaters or breathless aerial antics. The profile of a big wave rider is the result of several unparalleled personal characteristics. Fear is always present in a 50-foot wave. Fear is the best way of managing the risk of paddling for a huge wave face, which doesn't tell you what is going to happen and how it is going to break. Monster waves tend to move quickly and force surfers to get away of the powerful whitewater. Big waves are lethal even for the most experienced extreme riders. The best big wave surf spots in the world have claimed several lives in the last decades. People are only just beginning to wake up to the potential of Nazaré. A finger of deep water points directly at the beach to the north of town and the result is similar to La Nord in Hossegor. Huge, heavy and hollow beach peaks for the brave. 2017 2016
Visibility: 21506
Duration: 2m 25s
Rating: 117