Maya Gabeira breaks world record with 22.4-meter wave in Portugal

Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira has broken her own Guinness World Record for the largest wave ever surfed by a woman. The 33-year-old achieved this feat in Nazaré, Portugal, by riding a wave measuring 22.4 meters (approximately 73.5 feet), which is comparable to the height of a seven-story building.

The new mark surpasses her previous record of 20.7 meters, which she also set in Nazaré in 2018. The achievement was validated by the World Surf League (WSL), which awarded her the ‘cbdMD XXL Biggest Wave Award’, and the Red Bull Big Wave Award.

To confirm the precise dimensions, scientific teams from the University of Southern California, WaveCo Science Team, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography analyzed video footage and images. Researchers utilized real-world coordinates and reference points, such as Gabeira’s height and the length of her surfboard, to calculate the wave's scale.