Love ‘em or hate ‘em, wipeouts are part of the big wave game. It doesn’t feel like a game, however, when you’re freefalling down the face at Jaws or staring up at a descending Nazare lip. These slams are life-or-death stuff and should not be taken lightly. Even the best surfers in the world can get humbled by Mother Nature.
We’ll be dropping the contenders for the 2024 SURFER Big Wave Challenge wipeout of the year next week. The winners will be unveiled on October 19 at the award ceremony in Nazare, Portugal. In the meantime, Bill Sharp gave us his take on the best worst wipeouts he’s seen.
No. 5 — Garrett McNamara, Jaws, Hawaii, 2012
The early paddle movement at Jaws started in 2011 and was fraught with bad wipeouts. Peahi has handed out more than a handful of serious slams over the years and continues to do so with regularity. This one from Garrett McNamara happened more than a decade ago and still holds Bill’s attention. For good reason.
No. 4 — Ross Clarke-Jones, Pedra Branca, Tasmania, 2009
“A classic wipeout by a classic surfer,” is how Bill describes this closeout from RCJ. The hard-charging Australian has taken many a slam in his career, and somehow his body and good humor have stayed intact. At a remote slab in Tasmania, Ross gets put in a tough spot when a 15-20 foot tube decides he’s had enough. But fret not: Ross is 58 years young and still getting after it. He’s competed in the last two Eddies, 2016 and 2023.
No. 3 — Benjamin Sanchis, Nazare, Portugal, 2015
Frame: Darrigade
Probably the biggest wave in this collection of spills, Benjamin Sanchis reportedly took a long time to mentally recover from this one. And who could blame him? Taking 80 feet of whitewater to the head will do that to a person.
No. 2 — Keala Kennelly, Jaws, Hawaii, 2020
Keala paved the way for women in big waves, no ifs, ands, or buts. Her 2016 tow-in bomb at Teahupo’o, coming years after her face was fileted there by the reef, still stands as one of the heaviest moments in surfing. But her route has been anything but easy. Take this hang-up in “Maui glass” conditions at Jaws. Tough to keep Keala down.
No. 1 — Niccolo Porcella, Teahupo’o, Tahiti, 2016
Frame: Pruvost
“In my view, probably the greatest wipeout of all time ever captured on film,” is Bill’s take on this horrific vision of Niccolo Porcella tumbling over the falls at XXL Teahupo’o. It’s never good to go headfirst toward the reef at Teahupo’o, but on this Code Red-esque day, a tow-only spectacle, it’s a miracle Niccolo made it out in one piece.