How Fast Is Big-Wave Surfing?

Big-wave surfers ride at 90 km/h. Tow-in surfers, towed onto bigger waves by jet ski, may exceed 100 km/h. Garrett McNamara surfed a 24-metre wave in Portugal in 2011 — the official record, though some claim larger.

The official big-wave surfing record is 24 metres — set in Portugal in 2011 by Garrett McNamara.

• Slower than highway driving
• Garrett McNamara rode a 24 m wave