Author(s): Tim McKenna

General Travel

This book is an ode to a unique natural phenomenon and to the courageous athletes who seek to conquer it.In 2000, a new and spectacular wave was discovered, created by an unusual reef break off the coast of Tahiti. Within days, this wave-known as Teahupoo-had become a Mecca for surfers from around the world who flocked to Tahiti for competitions and to test their mettle against the most terrifying wave ever ridden. In this one-of-a-kind volume, acclaimed extreme sports photographer Tim McKenna shares with readers a collection of photographs chronicling the beauty, brute force, and unsurpassed surfing opportunities associated with Teahupoo.In the text, the athletes themselves describe the competitions, triumphs and dramas, superhuman exploits and life-threatening risks they have experienced as they tried to conquer this most fascinating wave. We hear from such renowned athletes as Hawaiian big-wave legend Laird Hamilton, Andy Irons, Kelly Slater, Shane Dorian, Manoa Drollet, Raimana Van Bastolaer, Vetea David, Malik Joyeaux, Robert Territehau, Jason Polakow, and Mike Stewart, whose first-person anecdotes complement McKenna's stunning photographs.