Big Wave Surfing
Surfing waves of six metres and higher — the domain of Jaws, Nazaré and Mavericks with a jet-ski tow-in.
👥1 per team🌤outdoor
What is Big Wave Surfing?
Big wave surfing is the surfing sub-discipline of waves above six metres — Jaws (Peʻahi, Maui), Mavericks (California), Nazaré (Portugal) and Cortes Bank sit at the extreme. Riders are commonly towed into position by jet ski. The WSL Big Wave Awards and Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge recognise the biggest and most technical rides of each season.
Quick facts
Category
Aquatic Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
1950s Hawaii (Waimea Bay); modern tow-in era 1992
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified