80-Foot Wave Gives Surfer World Record on Portuguese Coast

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A monster 80-foot wave approaching Portugal’s coast, gave a Brazilian surfer a world record on Saturday, reports note.

The World Surf League awarded Brazil’s Rodrigo Koxa with recognition for riding the biggest wave ever. The group held its Big Wave Awards in Santa Monica, California, on Saturday where judges determined that on November 8, Koxa rode a wave 80 feet (2.38 meters) high, the Associated Press reported.

Koxa caught the monster wave near Nazare, which is situated on Portugal’s Atlantic coast between Lisbon and Porto.

Koxa’s feat beat the previous record of 78 feet (23.77 meters), realized in 2011 by American Garrett McNamara.

The league noted that its award goes to “the surfer who, by any means available, catches the biggest wave of the year … not only did Koxa win this year’s honor, but he now holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest wave surfed.”

For his part, the newly minted Brazilian record holder said that the wave was a dream come true.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.

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