Sebastian Steudtner, a 38-year-old German surfer, rode an 86-foot wave in Nazaré, Portugal in February. This wave may be a new record for the biggest wave ever ridden in history. The wave was provisionally measured at 28.57 meters pending official confirmation, surpassing Steudtner’s current record of 26.21 meters set in 2020 in the same location.
Steudtner described the experience as “surfing the unsurfable” and footage of the wave showed a mass of white water trailing behind him. Porsche was involved in measuring the wave, using drone technology developed by Team Steudtner and Porsche Engineering. This technology was able to track the surfer within the radius throughout the entire wave ride, challenging traditional methods of wave measurement through video footage and images.
The World Surf League will need to confirm if the wave can be recognized as an official world record. The conditions at Nazaré on February 24 were noted for producing historic waves, with some speculating that they may have even exceeded the mythical 100-foot mark. The Atlantic Ocean swells and a deep canyon near the shoreline make Nazaré an ideal location for surfers seeking to ride some of the world’s biggest waves.
Steudtner has taken a scientific approach to his surfing, using wind tunnels for car testing and partnering with tech company Siemens to research the biomechanics of big-wave surfing. His dedication and pursuit of surfing waves taller than 100 feet have earned him the title of the biggest wave ever surfed
