Laura Enever waited for hours
Riding a monster wave puts surfer in the record books
November 9, 2023, 2:19 p.m
First a lot of patience, then a lot of courage: Laura Enever is fearless on her surfboard. It paid off off Hawaii; she rode a monster wave in free fall – that earned her an entry in the record books. The 31-year-old speaks of a “gift”.
Laura Enever paddled out to sea, she waited on her board for hours, repeatedly dodging dangerous beasts of waves. Then Enever finally sensed the opportunity of a lifetime. “We played cat and mouse, so to speak,” said the Australian. With a few strokes of the paddle she picked up speed, fearlessly swung herself onto her board – and let it happen.
Enever surfed – almost in free fall – on a 13.3 meter high monster wave into the depths. Videos show how the water masses crash together and Enever disappears into the white spray. Never before had a woman paddled into and then surfed such a large wave.
“I knew it was a huge wave when it hit me,” said Enever, who had previously received a tip. On this day, January 22nd, a phenomenon that only occurs about once every ten years was supposed to occur on the Oahu Outer Reef off Hawaii. “When the wave came, I was in the perfect place. It was such a gift,” said the 31-year-old, who grew up in the north of Sydney and plunged into the sea with her brother and father as a small child.
Big wave surfers often get pulled into the massive waves on jet skis, but Enever – who everyone just calls Lauzy – chose the riskier method of paddling in under their own power. “At the end of the day, paddle surfing is just about yourself in the ocean and being out there,” said Enever, who is also interested in art and fashion. “You don’t have the support of a jet ski and all the speed and power, that pull you into the wave. It’s all about you and your knowledge of the sea.”
A team of scientists and engineers had been evaluating photos and videos for months to measure the wave – now the World Surf League confirmed the record. As their wild ride began, Enever knew immediately that this wave was something special. “That’s a long way down, that’s the biggest wave you’ve ever caught,” she said of her thoughts at the big moment: “I was so excited, there’s just no better feeling.”