Massive Teahupoo

What a Sunday it was.

Swell Status:

ON ALERT

Kevin Wallis

Director of Forecasting
January 29th at 8:00 PM PST
The North Pacific remains awash in storm and swell actvity with a big swell for Hawaii on Tuesday the 30th, landing in NorCal on Thursday the 1st. Wind generally isn't great, but there should be some windows of opportunity, especially for NorCal. Lots more storm activity lining up through the first two to three weeks of February with big surf in Hawaii and California and rain for the Golden State as well.

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Meet the surfers.

Spots. Surfers. Science

Stories of the waves and the people who ride them.

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Meet the surfers.
Kai Lenny
Katie Mae McConnell
Keola Curnan
Kolomona Fernandez
Kurtis Chong Kee
Laura Enever
Laurie Towner
Luca Padua
Lucas Chianca
Maddix Alotis
Makua Rothman
Marcial Monreal
Mark Pokini
Mason Barnes
Matahi Drollet
Matt Bromley
Michaela Fregonese
Michelle Bouillons
Mick Corbett

FAQ

Why Twenty Foot Plus? Why not 30, 40 or 50?

We’re asserting that 20 feet is where big wave riding begins. This is the size that separates the vast majority of surfers, even those who feel comfortable in double and triple overhead waves, from the small minority of dedicated women and men who have nine-foot guns in their quiver, waxed and ready to go. This standard also opens the criteria to waves that, while perhaps not as tall as breaks like Peahi or Nazaré, can be just as heavy. Think Teahupoo, Puerto Escondido and Shipstern Bluff. Twenty Foot Plus will not limit itself to units of measure attainable only at a handful of breaks, but instead will cover the entire world of big wave surfing, in all its fearsome forms.

How is Twenty Foot Plus different from other big wave series?

Unlike conventional big wave series, in which the action is examined at the end of the year, Twenty Foot Plus will utilize Surfline’s surf forecasting expertise to chart and then live stream major big wave sessions around the world, dropping viewers into the lineup in real time. In between swells, Twenty Foot Plus will profile the big wave community -- telling the stories of the top big wave surfers, water safety, shapers, and other people involved in this challenging pursuit. It will also delve into the science and history of a wide array of the planet’s heaviest waves.

Is this a competition?

No. With the live streaming element, collaboration with the sport’s top performers, global scale of coverage and informed ancillary content, Twenty Foot Plus is an experience, inviting viewers to join in celebrating the waves of a lifetime, live.

Who determines which session to live stream?

Surfline has the unparalleled ability to predict giant swells and near-shore conditions in every ocean, so choosing which day to live stream is relatively straight forward from a surf forecast perspective. Our track record speaks for itself. But we’ll focus on those “Day of Days” -- when waves, weather and the best big wave surfers come together to create historic sessions.

But what about all the other big waves that might be breaking at the same time?

Surfline has the unparalleled ability to predict giant swells and near-shore conditions in every ocean, so choosing which day to live stream is relatively straight forward from a surf forecast perspective. Our track record speaks for itself. But we’ll focus on those “Day of Days” -- when waves, weather and the best big wave surfers come together to create historic sessions.

Who are the surfers?

Twenty Foot Plus will be produced in collaboration with Surfline and Heavy Water Surf -- a collective of big wave luminaries such as Kai Lenny, Justine Dupont, Billy Kemper, Maya Gabeira, Jamie Mitchell, Lucas Chumbo and many more. Of course one doesn’t have to be a Heavy Water Surf member to be featured -- this is an inclusive program that aims to shine the spotlight on the entire big-wave community.

What happens between swells?

There’s no downtime in Twenty Foot Plus. Between swells, we’ll provide features that take viewers deep inside the world of big wave surfing -- with interviews and perspectives from the best big wave riders, surfboard designers, heavy water safety and survival experts and surf forecasters (our own, naturally). In terms of the scale of content, Twenty Foot Plus will be the most comprehensive examination of big wave surfing in the history of the sport.

A celebration of the world’s best big wave surfers, and the massive waves they conquer, live.

Featuring the world’s best big wave riders, cutting-edge forecasting, and the latest in live-streaming tech, we’re bringing you directly into the lineup during the biggest days at the planet’s heaviest waves.

In 2019, Jamie Mitchell and Zack Porter felt that it was time for a change, and called a meeting with the world’s top big wave surfers to discuss the possibilities. From those conversations, the Heavy Water Surf group was born to assure the future of the sport.

Twenty Foot Plus is a series brought to you by Surfline, Red Bull Surfing, and Heavy Water Surf. Twenty Foot Plus will chronicle the world’s best big-wave surfers in the heaviest waves on Earth. On the very best days, we will broadcast the action live, from multiple angles, in ways guaranteed to take it all next level.

Twenty Foot Plus will offer a fresh look into the lives of the big-wave crew, tracking their movements as they chase XXL waves worldwide.