British surfer Laura Crane believes she has achieved a historic feat in Nazaré, surfing a wave that could become the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman. The possible milestone was reached during the last Nazaré Big Wave Challenge, held last Saturday, and is now awaiting official confirmation.
The current female record belongs to Brazilian Maya Gabeira, who in 2020 surfed a 22.4 meter wave, also in Praia do Norte. Laura Crane is now waiting for measurements from the entity responsible for the event to understand whether she has, in fact, managed to surpass that bar.
Speaking to the BBC, the Devon-born surfer described the moment as an intense mix of emotions. As he explained, he felt enormous happiness after surfing the wave, but also a shock when he realized its size. Laura admitted that she had never seen a wave so big and that, at that moment, fear was present, making it essential to trust herself, the board and the strength of the wave itself.
Known for her focus on large waves, Laura Crane has been building a career linked to giant wave surfing. In the United Kingdom, he gained even greater notoriety after his participation in the reality show Love Island, which contributed to increasing his media visibility.
In men’s surfing, the absolute record continues to belong to German Sebastian Steudtner, who in 2020 surfed a wave measuring 26.21 meters, also in Nazaré, consolidating Praia do Norte as one of the most emblematic stages of giant wave surfing worldwide.
A woman from Devon might have set a new world record for the biggest wave ever taken on by a female surfer. 🏄♀️
She’s waiting for confirmation from the Guinness Book Of Records 🌊— Biology Rules Ok (@OkayBiology)
