In February, German surfer Sebastian Steudtner rode an 86-foot wave in Nazaré, Portugal. This may be a new record for the biggest wave 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, age 38, along with many other surfers, moves to the west coast of Portugal during the big-wave season from October to March. He has taken a scientific approach to his surfing, using wind tunnels for car testing and partnering with tech company Siemens to research
