Surf
German big wave surfer Sebastian Steudtner has surfed what might be the biggest wave ever measured at 28.57 meters (93.73 feet) in Nazaré, Portugal. The height was measured using state-of-the-art drone technology developed by Porsche Engineering and Team Steudtner. Official confirmation of the new record is still pending.
The current world record, which Steudtner also set in Nazaré in 2020, is 26.21 m (86.4ft).
“Big wave surfing is a beautiful sport; I love it and I am very proud to be able to bring it to the next level through the development of safety and technology and by believing in my dream. It is my goal to improve big wave surfing and take it to the next level. Together with my team, which is driven by its unique can-do mindset to define what’s possible in big-wave surfing, we were able to accomplish this mission.”
– Sebastian Steudtner
In Nazaré, the drone prototype from the joint technology project between Team Steudtner and Porsche Engineering was used. The project focuses on developing a measuring drone that can quickly and precisely determine the height of waves. Until now, such measurements have been carried out by analyzing video footage and still images.
The Porsche Engineering and Team Steudtner prototype has cameras, control units, and storage devices. In addition, sensors from vehicle development support modern driver assistance systems. The device can measure all areas of the wave and the surfer within a radius of about 100 m.
Official sports governing bodies are responsible for officially confirming new world records. “We are open to sharing our technical insights from drone development with official experts. Our goal is to increase transparency in big wave surfing further and to provide accurate measurement data more quickly,” says Marcus Schmelz, Project Manager at Porsche Engineering.
Steudtner has based himself in Nazaré for the past few years as part of his Mission Wave Alpha project. This project has seen him work with his partners Porsche, Porsche Engineering, Schaeffler, O2—the German telecommunications provider—DVAG, and X-BIONIC to take the sport to the next level on all fronts, from surfing the biggest waves to water safety, board materials, and design.
Deniz Keskin, Director of Brand Management and Partnerships at Porsche, adds: “The mastering of a potential highest world record wave on his new Caçador RS board is the absolute highlight of three years of intensive cooperation with Sebastian. We are proud of our contribution and are delighted that our conviction to be an enabler rather than a pure sponsor has proven to be a great success.”
Steudtner has developed surfboard technology in partnership with Porsche Engineering and Schaeffler to optimize his surfboard over the past three years to help surf the biggest waves possible. Using the latest simulation methods and wind tunnel validations, water and air resistances have been successfully reduced. As a result, with the new Caçador RS board, Steudtner can now reach speeds of up to 100 km/h, compared to the previous 80 km/h. The higher speed is necessary to ride larger waves – because the taller a wave is, the faster the surfer must be so that it doesn’t overrun them. This advantage in speed enabled Steudtner to ride the potential new world record wave.
