A Brazilian surfer might have set the world record for biggest wave ever ridden off the Portuguese coast on Monday.
Carlos Burle caught a colossal swell near the western coastal town of Nazare, where enormous waves are created by an underwater canyon that thrusts the waves high onto the beach at Praia del Norte, CBS reported.
To ensure their safety, some surfers who attempt to conquer the waves at del Norte are towed by jet skis that double as rescue vehicles. Surfers use the skis to gain speed as well, so they can safely execute the perfect charge.
The waves proved too intense for one surfer - fellow Brazilian rider Maya Gabeira was pummeled by a wave that swept her into the sea, then pitted her back toward shore. Burle pulled Gabeira out of the water. She lay on the beach, unconscious, as Burle and rescue teams ensured she hadn't sustained any major injuries. Once she came to, Burle went back into the water. He told CBS his potentially record-breaking ride came as a result of his good deed.
"At the end, I asked to catch a wave when everyone was leaving and picked up a good wave," he told reporters in Portuguese. "I think that was the reward."
Burle caught the wave at the same spot where American surfer Garrett McNamara set the world record in January, after he rode an estimated 100-foot wave successfully.
According to NBC, initial reports indicated that Burle's wave was higher than McNamara's, putting the Brazilian surfer in the potential top-spot for most gnar ever shred.
Gabeira posted a photo on Facebook confirming she'd broken her ankle, but that she was doing fine.
"My dear friends, a broken ankle," she posted, along with a photo of herself in a hospital bed, smiling, giving the thumbs-up. "Nothing more...Some salt water, but you know!"
Burle is still waiting on word to find out whether he broke McNamara's January record - confirmation for the 100-foot wave is still pending, as the calculation process is complicated and long-winded.
