Teahupoo
Coordinates: 17 ° 51 ′ S , 149 ° 16 ′ W
Teahupoo (also called Chopes ) is a surf spot in the Pacific off the coast of Tahiti in French Polynesia .
Teahupoo is known for its powerful, hollow breaking waves . This wave and the coral reef responsible for the wave formation , which reaches up to 50 cm below the water surface, have earned the spot the reputation of being particularly dangerous.
While the average wave height in summer is 1–1.30 meters (3–4 feet ), in winter the wave can reach well over three meters.
Teahupoo is one of the stops on the ASP World Tour and the venue for the Billabong Pro Tahiti Surf Contest .
The Tahitian Thierry Vernaudon first claimed to have surfed Teahupoo with some friends in 1985 . This action, however, was demonstrably relatively small waves that cannot be compared with the monstrous breakers of today's “Big Wave Sessions”. In 1986 , some bodyboarders discovered the wave for themselves, while it took until 1998 for Teahupoo to gain the rightful reputation among surfers as the “Heaviest Wave in the World”.
The wave achieved fame when the Hawaiian tow-in surfer Laird Hamilton dared a spectacular ride on August 17, 2000 , which can be seen in the surf documentary Riding Giants .
year | Surname | origin | |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | Owen Wright | OUT | |
2018 | Gabriel Medina | BRA | |
2017 | Julian Wilson | OUT | |
2016 | Kelly Slater | United States | |
2015 | Jeremy Flores | FRA | |
2014 | Gabriel Medina | BRA | |
2013 | Adrian Buchan | OUT | |
2012 | Mick Fanning | OUT | |
2011 | Kelly Slater | United States | |
2010 | Andy Irons | HAW * | |
2009 | Bobby Martinez | United States | |
2008 | Bruno Santos | BRA | |
2007 | Damien Hobgood | United States | |
2006 | Bobby Martinez | United States | |
2005 | Kelly Slater | United States | |
2004 | CJ Hobgood | United States | |
2003 | Kelly Slater | United States | |
2002 | Andy Irons | HAW * | |
2001 | Cory Lopez | United States | |
2000 | Kelly Slater | United States | |
1999 | Mark Occhilupo | OUT | |
* The ASP World Tour distinguishes between the USA and Hawaii. |
Web links
- History of Teahupoo at Sur proud.com
- Tim McKenna: Teahupoo, the wave in pictures. ( Surfer photographer Tim McKenna: "It's amazing that nothing more happens" - Interview with Spiegel Online )
- Surf rider Manoa Drollet, Teahupoo, YouTube video