Australian Surfer Laura Enever Sets New Record for Largest Paddled Wave by a Woman
Australian surfer Laura Enever has made history by setting a new world record for riding the largest wave ever paddled into by a woman. The 31-year-old accomplished this remarkable feat in January at a surf break known as the “Himalayas” in Oahu, Hawaii. Enever successfully tamed a colossal 43.6-foot (13.3-meter) wave, exceeding the previous record, which had stood for seven years, by a single foot.
Enever’s record-breaking achievement is significant because it involves paddling into a massive wave unassisted, as opposed to using a tow-in method where surfers are pulled into larger waves by a jet ski.
Guinness World Records officially certified Enever’s accomplishment during a ceremony held in Narrabeen, Sydney. This suburb holds special significance for Enever, as it is where she grew up surfing and launched her surfing career at the age of 11. After winning numerous junior competitions, she spent seven years as a regular on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour. However, she later shifted her focus to big wave surfing, which led to this record-breaking achievement.
Enever’s extraordinary ride was captured on video, and this footage, along with detailed information about the wave’s location, the videographers, and other essential data, was used by Guinness World Records to verify the wave’s height.
Jessi Miley-Dyer, the Chief of Sport at WSL, described Enever’s accomplishment as incredible and praised her fearlessness and commitment. Layne Beachley, a seven-time world surfing champion, also commended Enever’s remarkable achievement.
While Hawaii’s Aaron Gold holds the record for the largest paddled-in wave by a man, set in 2016 with a 63-foot wave, the record for the biggest wave ever surfed is held by German surfer Sebastian Steudtner, who was towed into an 86-foot monster wave in 2020.
Laura Enever’s record-setting ride is a testament to her remarkable surfing skills, dedication, and bravery in conquering massive waves.