New World Record for Largest Wave Surfed? Let's Discuss. (Video)
Over the weekend, surf history was (potentially) made.
Big wave surfers Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca and Sebastian Steudtner tamed some wild and wooly, utterly massive, possibly record-breaking waves in the small fishing village (and home to the world’s largest known surf) of Nazaré, Portugal.
Since then, the internet has been ablaze. New world record potential?
The session up for debate went down on Saturday, February 24th. Both Chumbo (Brazil) and Steudtner (Germany) rode waves which many are suggesting might be new world records. As for which wave – if any of ‘em – is actually a new milestone in big-wave surfing, that’ll take some time to analyze and confirm.
“Was a new world record set on that fateful day in Nazaré?” posed Above Creators in a video of Chumbo’s ride. “Join us as we ride alongside Lucas Chumbo on his jaw-dropping journey through the mountainous wave that could cement his name in the history books forever.”
In the meantime, while the waves from Chumbo and Steudtner are analyzed, let’s look at the current holder of the Guinness Book of World Records “largest wave surfed” title – which happens to also be from Steudtner, also in Nazaré, but back in 2020.
The wave was deemed to be 86 feet.
Already, however, big-wave surfers, camera operators who were on hand in Nazaré over the weekend, and pundits are touting Chumbo’s wave in particular as a potential challenger for the title.
“Lucas Chumbo surfing the biggest wave ever surfed,” remarked French surfer Justine Dupont.
“Crazy session, but mission to get Lucas Chumbo on a 100 foot wave [referencing the HBO show of the same name] accomplished,” wrote big waver Jose Carlos.
Will one of these waves take the title? It might be a while until we know for sure.
More to come.
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