What’s the biggest wave ridden ever?

Do you know how big the biggest wave ever ridden was? Ha. No one knows, because no one can agree on the exact height.

Some of the biggest waves ever ridden have come out of places that barely looked surfable until quite recently. In recent years, Nazaré, Portugal, has become ground zero for wave-size madness thanks to its underwater canyon. We have an entire story on that.

In 2011, Garrett McNamara put Nazaré on the map by riding a wave estimated at 78 feet, redefining what surfers thought was even possible in Europe.

That bar kept rising. In 2020, Sebastian Steudtner rode what Guinness later confirmed as the largest wave ever surfed—an 86-foot monster, also at Nazaré. Steudtner is known for his methodical, science-driven approach, working with wind engineers, breath-hold specialists, and safety teams.

And then there’s Maya Gabeira, who deserves her own paragraph. In 2020, she rode a wave at Nazaré measuring over 73 feet—the largest wave ever surfed by a woman.

There’s a potential new record for Sebastian: 93.7 feet at Nazaré in 2024—awaiting official verification.

And of course, you must’ve heard about Alessandro “Alo” Slebir riding a wave on December 23, 2024, at Mavericks that was claimed to be the biggest wave ever surfed—at 108 feet. But the World Surf League says it was only 76 feet. These guys spoil everything.

In case you ever wondered how imperfect measuring of the waves is, we got the answers for you.

Author: The Wipeout Weekly team