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Woman Surfer Tackles Record-Breaking Wave
18 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Laura Crane may have surfed the largest wave ever attempted by a woman.
- The Guinness World Records are assessing her ride at the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge.
- Crane previously overcame sexism, an eating disorder, and sepsis to reach this point.
Laura Crane, a 30-year-old surfer from Devon, has made a significant bid for a world record by riding what may be the largest wave ever surfed by a woman. The incident occurred during the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge in Portugal on Saturday. Crane described the experience as 'flying' and an 'out of body experience,' despite initial fear upon seeing the colossal wave.
The Guinness World Records organization is now in the process of verifying the wave's size, which could surpass the current women's record of 73½ft (22.4m) set by Maya Gabeira in 2020. Crane's journey to this point has been marked by considerable personal struggles, including overcoming sexism within the sport, an eating disorder, and a serious bout of sepsis.
Despite past injuries, including breaking her ankle earlier this year, Crane has shown immense dedication. She previously became the first British woman to tackle Nazaré's giant waves last year. The verification process for such records is extensive and can take months or even years as experts meticulously calculate the wave's dimensions.
