The biggest wave ever ridden captured on film, by Ken Bradshaw, January 28, 1998. Estimated 85 foot face wave.
oldwaverider
Category: World Big Wave Events and Articles
The Jay at Mavericks for 2010-11 (posted 01/27/11)
I don’t see much in the way of waves for the next week. When I did my morning run to the pier, it did look knee-high and perfect glass, with one guy out. Not enough of a dopamine high to get me out there, but it did look rideable.
Okay, since I don’t have any swells to talk about, I do want to remind y’all that our 10x winner Kelly Slater is waiting for the swell to hit Mavericks so the Jay at Mavericks contest and memorium can take place. Take a look at the surfer line up here: http://www.thejayatmavericks.com/Surfers/ .
Read the story about Jay and why they hold the event. It’s not the same type of memorium as the “Eddie”, but Jay is still someone we can look at as one of those core soul big wave surfers.
Slater has hinted that he may be spending his time in the “Big Wave” events, and who better than the Michael Jordan of Surfing (my apologies for the ridiculous but necessary cliché) to take his 10x winning spirit along with the balls of Laird Hamilton and the many other big wave masters, to the next level of his awesome career, and see him compete at the Mavericks break for the 3rd time in his career.
What can I say, I’m an idiot for watching big wave surfing, and am just mind blown how someone can surf both worlds so incredibly as Kelly Slater.
The photo here is a picture of Shawn Dollar (who will be competing in the Jay at Mavericks) who not only won the Monster Paddle in contest for Billabong XXL 2010, but also set a new record for the largest wave ever paddled into, a 55 foot estimated face size, breaking the previous record of 52 foot. Where else to break the record but in the freezing cold deep waters of Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, Ca. This photo is from the collections of Phil Gibbs, photographer at Flickr.com .
Check out the awesome video with waves and interviews at thejayatmavericks site. http://www.thejayatmavericks.com/
Just another soft-hearted adrenaline junkie who loves watching big waves 🙂
oldwaverider (Art)
Billabong XXL 2011 Midseason Highlight Clip (12/23/10) posted
Okay, now we’re caught up on the Billabong XXL Big Wave videos.
Check out the new entrant. The boys from Ireland have a lot to show for the emerging monsters. Between some of the breaks around LaHinch Beach around the NNW point of Ireland, they have had some mega 40 to 50 foot face waves in the last 12 to 18 months of La Nina surf season.
Also, check out Shipstern Bluff. I have asked myself, why do those guys surf there, since the moment they hit that part of the wave were it seems like a big chasm or black hole in the ocean floor appears, and thus they have the most incredible wipeouts cause they’re not expecting a sudden free fall at the peak of the barrel of the wave.
Then it dawned on me; that’s why they like it, it’s like having a cinderblock laying at the bottom of a skatepark bowl, forcing them to “think on their feet” if you will. So watch the different way these crazies choose to respond to the “black hole” part of the wave at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania.
Also, “Cloudbreak” in Fiji, is a new entrant. Another 40 foot face entry, and especially the paddle in wipeout in what looks like a 40 foot plus face. I bet that one wins the wipeout of the year award. Anyone that has the balls to keep on paddling for that one, then goes one step crazy further by grabbing the rail of the board in order to make the straight/angled drop, they have my vote for the best and most ballzy calculated attempt and then wipeout !
Last, Chile had a massive year, that 45 – 50 foot face in their freezing cold water gains the same respect as freezing Mavericks, Prowlers and Oregon’s last 50 – 60 foot wave video shown on Seaweed not long ago.
Enjoy, and I hope ya don’t mind me posting these things. I love watching huge waves.
Now that the rumor is out that Kelly Slater may start participating in some of this kind of surfing, I’m even more fired up. Anyone that can terrorize the competition in the ASP regular surf tour, and then turn around the next week and paddle into a 30 – 40 foot face at the “Eddie”, is certainly one ballsy individual.
oldwaverider
Johnson Avenue Surfers 