Layne Beachley rides biggest wave ever by a female surfer in Australia

On Wednesday 13 May 2009, seven-time World Champion and renowned Hawaiian charger, Layne Beachley, rode what all witnesses are calling the best wave ever ridden by a female surfer in Australia.

Coastalwatch editor Ben Horvath said, "It was by far the biggest and best day of surf in Sydney so far this year, a lot of Sydney surfers tagged it 'Big Wednesday 2009."

Ms. Beachley told Mr. Horvath, "It was the best wave I have ever caught. It was an incredible wave, definitely the biggest and best I have ever caught in Australia. I may have had some comparable tubes at Honolua Bay in Hawaii, but "Ours" is so much more intense than even Hawaii."

Horvath said, "The triple sucking reef break, named "Ours" by the Bra Boys, is for experienced big wave surfers only. Located off Cape Solander at the entrance to Botany Bay in sharky waters, the wave breaks over a shallow rock shelf literally meters in front of dry rock.

"It was the best swell to hit Cape Solander since the infamous June 2007 storm swells that grounded the Pasha Bulker." Mr. Horvath continued.

"It was an incredible day of waves in Sydney yesterday, conditions were flawless. The swell was in the 6-8ft range out of the SSE and winds were light offshore westerly all day. The sun was shining and the water was an unseasonably warm 21 degrees," Mr. Horvath said.

Ms. Beachley had a late night on Tuesday when she was named co-winner with Sarah Murdoch at The Annual Women In Style Awards evening hosted by InStyle Magazine.

Ms. Beachley said, "I literally swapped my Alex Perry gown for a wetsuit at dawn." She said, "I was on stage with the bra queen Sarah Murdoch late on Tuesday night, and then I was out charging "Ours" with the Bra Boys at dawn."

"The Bra Boys were so full of encouragement. I had an insane day," an ecstatic Ms. Beachley concluded.

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