Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing and Bodyboarding News Center. Breaking News, Surfing Games, Surf Movies, Board Size Charts, Surf Videos, Wind and Wave Forecasts, Surf Shop, Surf Spots, Surf Cams, Surf Travel.
The most extreme surf spots in the world
Tuesday, 05 April 2011 17:53

Big wave surfing: extreme is a soft word for that

Laird Hamilton, Eddie Aikau, Jeff Clark, Mark Foo, Ross Clarke-Jones, Mike Parsons, Grant Baker, Greg Long, João de Macedo, Shane Dorian, Ken Bradshaw and Maya Gabeira share one statement. They would go.

In big wave surfing, time and timing are two different things. There's a time to go for it, to paddle hard and the stand-up timing. The rest is courage, experience and knowledge.

That's why surfing in the most extreme spots and weather conditions is so uncomfortable. It requires preparation - physical and logistics - and the risk of leaving family and friends forever.

SurferToday.com has carefully picked the ultimate extreme surf spot list. If you really aim to surf big, you have to try the diversity of these wave peaks and ride them all, one by one. Some offer wind and swell adversity, others require slab experience and the rest can get really big.

Banzai Pipeline is a surf classic. The Hawaiian reef break can turn into a deadly cavern very easily. In the last ten years Joshua Nakata, Joaquin Velilla, Malik Joyeux, Jon Mozo and Moto Watanabe have lost their lives in the spot.

Belharra is an outer reef break located off the town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in France. This gigantic wave Belharra has a massive lip that may end your wish to surf for the rest of your life. In Jaws, Maui, waves can easily reach 35 metres (120 ft). Sometimes, the only way to surf the wave is by pressing the tow-in button. If you fail, reef and rocks will eat you.

Mullaghmore Head and Prowlers are the biggest wave Ireland has to offer. With a rainy and windy scenario, these waves are absolutely fearful. Watch out and never ride them alone. Nazaré, in Portugal, is so powerful that may hold the "surfboard breaking machine" nickname. The undersea canyon creates giant waves that can only be surfed by experienced big wave surfers.

Pico Alto, in Peru, is considered the largest wave in South America. This big wave surf spot challenges everything. Your fear, your safety and your life. Needless to say it is one of the few stages of the Big Wave World Tour. Punta de Lobos is the goofy footer's big wave heaven in Chile. Expect fast drops and giant lips. Escape, if possible, with no injuries.

Shipsterns Bluff, in Tasmania, is such a powerful wave that getting barreled may not be a wise option. It is one of the most dangerous waves in the world and there's not an hospital nearby. Teahupoo has already taken many lives. Fast, shallow, tubular and heavy wave. This reef break delivered what is considered the "heaviest wave" ever ridden. Laird Hamilton did it.

The Wedge, in USA, is almost known as a shore break. If you go over the falls, an injury will certainly visit your body. Local surfers have already ended up as quadriplegics, here. Todos Santos, in Mexico, gets monstrous quite often. This big wave surfer's heaven has plenty of adrenaline for sale. The 'Killers' wave is ferocious.

Yakutat, in Alaska, is the ultimate cold surfing experience. Temperatures can get below minus 20ºC, which means waves almost get frozen. Helmets required. Click in each surf spot to watch a video of the insane wave.


 

Join our surfing community in Facebook!   Get the top news stories in your Twitter account!   SurferToday.com on Google +   Follow us on Pinterest   SurferToday on Youtube

The best surf watches in the world
Wave Height Forecast
Wind Speed and Direction Forecast
Wave Period
Surf Videos
Surf Books
Surf Movies
Online Surfing Games

SURFING

Things you didn't know about surfing
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

The history of surfing is very rich. There are multiple facts and figures surrounding the evolution of wave riding, through time. Some are strange, others are deeply bizarre.
From the innovative surf gear to maritime science, surfing has been collecting stories, records and achievements. Did you know that... 1. The Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated archipelago on planet earth.
2. The windiest surf city in the world is Wellington, capital of New Zealand.
3. The tallest tsunami ever record [ ... ]


The surf earplugs that allow you to hear
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

The new Seals Balance Pro by EQ earplugs allow surfers to protect their ears and hear everything when wearing them.
When spring and summer start, everyone surfs more often. Also, all-year round surfers are more exposed to severe ear injuries, such as the surfer's ear (Exostosis) and swimmer's ear (Otitis). This problem can be developed after 3000 hours of cold water surfing. Neoprene hoodies and ear plugs are the best way to avoid surgery.


+ Surfing News

KITEBOARDING

"Kite Surfer" is the new wind riding game for iOS
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

"Kite Surfer" is the latest kitesurfing game for iPhone and iPad.
Lemondo Entertainment has announced the release of its newest game, "Kite Surfer", an arcade kitesurfing game designed for both iPhone and iPad. "Kite Surfer" is an endless running game, in which players take control of a character by swiping on the display or tilting a mobile device.


Pudla Narapichit hailed Kiteboard Tour Asia 2012/2013 champion
21/05/2013
article thumbnail

Pudla Narapichit and Doque Delos Santos have been crowned the Kiteboard Tour Asia 2012/2013 champions.
With 120 riders from 30 countries, the final and decisive Chinese stage once again broke all records, at Pingtan Island, also known as Haitan Island. The spot is regarded as China's windiest location - regular wind speeds of over 30 knots are recorded over the winter monsoon season and all of the island's old traditional style stone houses need to have rocks placed on top of their tiled roo [ ... ]


+ Kitesurfing News

WINDSURFING

Dieter van der Eyken dominates the 2013 Belgian Wave Windsurfing season
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

Dieter van der Eyken is one step closer of being crowned the 2013 Belgian Wave Windsurfing champion.
Bredene, in the Belgian province of West Flanders, held an intense weekend of wave windsurfing action. On Friday, all sailors completed the single elimination of the competition, despite the medium size waves and light winds.


Delphine Cousin stands out in the 2013 French Windsurfing Championship
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

Delphine Cousin is shining a light in the 2013 French Windsurfing Championship, with a victory in the second stage, held in Brest.
Despite the difficult conditions - three days of disoriented and gusty winds - sailors were able to complete two races. The organization worked hard to try to get more races, but even if the windsurfing fleet had spent many hours on the water every day, nothing could be done.


+ Windsurfing News

BODYBOARDING

The story and legends of bodyboarding in "Born to Boogie"
23/05/2013
article thumbnail

"Born to Boogie: Legends of Bodyboarding" tells the story of the incredible sport of bodyboarding from 1971 to the modern days.
The pioneers, the champions and the underground chargers are all profiled, among them Tom Morey, Pat Caldwell, Ben Severson, Jay Reale, Mike Stewart, Michael 'Eppo' Eppelstun, Guilherme Tamega, Andre Botha, Ryan Hardy, Damian King, Ben Player, Jeff Hubbard, Mitch Rawlins and Pierre Louis Costes. "Born to Boogie: Legends of Bodyboarding" was written by the bodyboard  [ ... ]


Nuno Azevedo sweeps fourth Luso Galaico Championship title
22/05/2013
article thumbnail

Nuno Azevedo has conquered the bodyboarding division of the XV Luso Galaico Championship, a competition between Portuguese and Galician riders.
Up to 64 bodyboarders and surfers from the North of Portugal and the Spanish region of Galicia have competed at Cabedelo Beach and Arda Beach, in Viana do Castelo. With a mobile structure and a new live scoring system, the level of competition was high in the 2-4 foot waves on offer. Portuguese riders claimed four out of five titles at the XV Luso Ga [ ... ]


+ Bodyboarding News