Australian Surfer Laura Enever breaks World Record by riding 13-meter wave

Australian surfer Laura Enever has made history by breaking the world record for paddling into the largest wave ever achieved by a woman. The feat was verified by both the World Surf League and the Guinness World Records, acknowledging her remarkable ride on a colossal 13.3-meter wave in January.

At 31 years of age, Enever, who spent seven seasons on the WSL championship tour, shifted her focus to big wave surfing. Her record-breaking ride took place at Outer Reef on the North Shore of Oahu earlier this year, but the confirmation came only recently.

"I knew it was big when I paddled into it, and then when I took off, I looked down and I knew it was definitely the biggest wave I've ever caught," Enever said.


On the day she conquered this towering wave, Enever was the second alternate for the prestigious Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, a competition closer to the beach. She and her friend Felicity Palmateer made the bold decision to venture to the Outer Reef, approximately one kilometer offshore, where the deep ocean meets the shallower island sea floor.

While many big wave surfers rely on jet skis to tow them into waves, certain conditions allow surfers to employ the traditional paddling approach, which Enever embraced on this monumental day.

Describing her record-breaking ride, she stated, "The ride was such a breakthrough for me and a moment that will be really special and monumental in my surf career."

Enever's achievement surpasses the previous record set by Brazilian surfer Andrea Moller in 2016, albeit by less than a meter. Significantly, on the same day as Enever's remarkable wave, Andrea Moller was one of six women competing in the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational for the first time.

Enever expressed her gratitude, saying, "Andrea Moller held this record before me, and it's an honor to hold that record and keep pushing big wave surfing. And I know that the next girls, the next generation of female big wave surfers are going to do the same."

In the realm of men's big wave surfing, Hawaii's Aaron Gold continues to hold the record for paddle-in waves, achieved by catching a towering 19.2-meter giant off Maui in 2016.