Tahiti Goes Supersize – Teahupo’o Freesurf
The legendary reef break of Teahupo’o is living up to its ominous reputation this week, unleashing one of the biggest swells of the season. It's been an absolute feast for big-wave surfers and observers alike.
Today is an off day for the ongoing World Surf League’s Lexus Tahiti Pro, set to continue tomorrow, August 13. The first two days of the competition were good, but this new swell is something else entirely. The footage out of Tahiti right now is saying far more than words ever could.
“It’s always so gnarly when you see stuff like this in the forecast… it’s just the most insane wave in the world," said Koa Rothman.
When Nature Puts on a Show
Teahupo’o's freakish power stems from its extreme topography. Shallow, razor-sharp reef, underwater shelfs, and perfect swell alignment reel create monstrous, thick-lipped tubes. This swell is exactly the kind of wild spectacle that draws the world’s top big-wave specialists to the French Polynesian slab.
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Tahiti Pro Poised to Detonate
The WSL event had been on hold due to light surf, but the window remains open through August 16. Today’s swell is promises that the tour will resume heats tomorrow. It's looking like the swell will stick around long enough for the contest to benefit.
Maybe we'll even see another classic all-time final like this:
