Surfer breaks record for biggest wave ever riding 80ft wall of water

Koxa faced the 80ft wall of water at Nazare in Portugal in November last year – a spot known for big wave surfing.

He was recognised by surf officials for the feat and has now been awarded the Guinness World Record. Winning the award at the World Surf League’s Big Wave Awards on Saturday night, he said breaking the record was ‘the best day of my life’. Koxa risked his life catching the 24-metre wave, smashing the previous record of 78ft (23 metres) set by Garrett McNamara in 2011. At the same awards ceremony, Britain’s Andrew Cotton won the



Wipeout of the Year award falling off his board at the same spot in Nazare.

Footage of the incident shows the 36-year-old surfer taking on the beastly swell, sliding down the face of the 50ft beast during an exhilarating ride. But his joy turned to pain moments later as a wall of foaming white water crashed down on top of him. He was lucky to be alive after the accident, which left him with 12 broken vertebrae in his back. Cotton wasn’t present to pick up his award as he is still recovering from the broken bones he suffered in that wipeout.