Big Wave Surfer: The Greatest Rides of Our Lives

A jaw-dropping photographic display of the world of big wave surfing, featuring the biggest and most dangerous waves and the legendary men and women who risk their lives to surf them.
 

Over the last decade, a handful of surfers have been progressing the sport of big wave surfing to new extremes. Kai Lenny, one of the preeminent big wave surfers, offers readers a glimpse into this world. Lenny shares his personal stories and perspectives, and invites over 30 elite surfers—from legends who pioneered the way, to young guns who are the future of the sport—to contribute personal tales of the greatest waves ever ridden.
 
These are the stories we’ve been waiting for: Shane Dorian pushing the boundaries in the gladiator arena of Pe‘ahi (Jaws), Maui; Peter Mel on riding the greatest wave ever caught at Mavericks, California; Keala Kennelly breaking the women’s glass ceiling at the death-defying slabs of Teahupoo, Tahiti; Kai Lenny and Lucas Chumbo’s groundbreaking wins at the incredible Nazaré, Portugal; Brett Lickle’s epic incident at the mystical Pyramids with Laird Hamilton, and many more. Accompanying stunning photographs from the world’s top surf photographers capture the drama of life and death, and the unwavering commitment of these brave extreme athletes.

Hawaii-born Kai Lenny is one of the world’s most accomplished watermen pushing the sport of big wave surfing. He is the youngest person to be inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, winning countless awards throughout his career. Shane Dorian is a World Championship Tour veteran and WSL Big Wave Awards winner, and helped progress the sport of modern big wave surfing. Ian Walsh is a WSL Pe‘ahi Challenge winner and has been charging some of the biggest waves in the world since he was a teenager in Maui, Hawaii.