The Biggest Wave Ever Surfed Took 2 Years to Verify

Big wave surfer — It was way, way, *way* bigger than this. Joel Everard / Shutterstock

In the adrenaline-fueled world of big wave surfing, riding a monster wave isn’t just about guts. It’s about timing, physics and a whole lot of energy from the ocean.

Few moments in surf history carry as much weight as the one that put the biggest wave ever surfed in the record books.

Surfers from Hawaii to Portugal chase these giants, each hoping to catch the ride that will rewrite the limits of the sport. And the big wave community is always watching, measuring, and debating what counts.

Contents

The Largest Wave Ever Surfed
The Legacy of Previous Record Holders
Paddle vs. Tow: The Other Race
Legendary Breaks Around the World
What's Next for Big Wave Surfing?

The Largest Wave Ever Surfed

Nazare, Portugal — Nazaré, Portugal, is home to the most enormous waves on the planet. R.M. Nunes / Shutterstock

In October 2020, Sebastian Steudtner caught a wave off the coast of Praia do Norte, Portugal that shattered expectations.

It wasn’t confirmed until 2022, but the official Guinness World Record clocked the Nazaré wave at 86 feet (26.21 meters). That makes it the largest wave surfed in history—a giant wall of water Steudtner managed to ride with precision.

The Legacy of Previous Record Holders

Before Steudtner, Brazilian Rodrigo Koxa held the previous record with an 80-foot (24.38-meter) wave, also surfed at Praia do Norte. Koxa’s achievement in November 2017 earned its own Guinness World distinction, and the video went viral.

On the women’s side, Maya Gabeira set the new Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed by a woman in the same Portuguese waters. Her 73.5-foot (22.4-meter) ride in 2020 was both technically impressive and a breakthrough for female surfers.

Paddle vs. Tow: The Other Race

While most of the biggest waves are caught using tow-in methods, paddle surfing is another intense subculture.

In 2016, Aaron Gold rode the biggest paddle wave ever caught at Jaws in Maui. Without jet ski assistance, Gold paddled into a wave measured at 63 feet (19.2 meters).

This distinction matters. Paddle surfers rely only on arm strength and timing, making their rides especially respected within the sport.

Legendary Breaks Around the World

Beyond Praia do Norte, other epic surf spots have played host to massive rides. Cortes Bank off the coast of California gave Mike Parsons a legendary ride in 2008 that once held the record. Farther north, Mavericks has long been known for its cold water and dangerous breaks.

In Hawaii, spots like the North Shore and Jaws continue to produce record-worthy waves. These beaches are where many big wave surfers cut their teeth before moving on to the global stage.

What's Next for Big Wave Surfing?

Records fall, but the sport keeps pushing forward. From the first time someone caught a giant wave at Waimea to today’s satellite-measured, video-documented events, the technology has changed, but the challenge remains the same.

Steudtner continues to ride and train, and the next world record may already be forming just beyond the horizon. With better boards, smarter teams and more data, the next giant wave is just waiting for the right surfer to catch it.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.