Teahupo'o

Teahupoʻo (Te-a-hu-po-o, popular pronunciation is CHO-PO) is a village on the south-east coast of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean. It is known for the surf break and heavy, glassy waves offshore, often reaching 2 to 3 m (6.6 to 9.8 ft), and sometimes up to 7 meters (23 feet). It is the site of the annual Billabong Pro Tahiti surf competition, part of the World Championship Tour (WCT) of the Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour surfing circuit and used to be one stop in the World Tour of the International Bodyboarding Association. Bodyboarding pioneers Mike Stewart and Ben Severson were the first to surf Teahupo'o in 1986 and it soon became an underground spot for thrill-seeking bodyboarders. Few professional surfers rode Teahupo'o during the early 1990s and it was only in 1998, at the Gotcha Tahiti Pro, that Teahupo'o became widely recognized as having some of the heaviest waves in the world. On August 17, 2000 Laird Hamilton is credited with surfing the "heaviest wave" ever ridden, documented in the film Riding Giants. In 2003 the late Malik Joyeux successfully rode one of the largest waves ever ridden.

On October 31, 2008 surfer Ian Walsh towed the biggest Teahupoʻo wave of the season. Video footage of this ride was later used in a Red Bull energy drink ad campaign seen around the world.

Keala Kennelly was the first woman to tow-surf Teahupo'o in May 2005, getting a 10-foot barrel ahead of the Billabong Tahiti Pro contest.

This challenging break has been conquered by many top windsurfers, including Jason Polakow and Levi Siver. Yannick Salmon was the first kitesurfer to ride Teahupo'o, however, it was incorrectly written in publications that others had ridden it before him. Jeremie Eloy and Julien Sudrat kitesurfed the wave after Yannick.[]

Wave characteristics

Teahupo'o is a reef break. The swells mainly break left, but the outer reef also creates right breaks that surfers must be cautious of when paddling out. Teahupo'o is also renowned for the consistent number of barrels it delivers. It is a rewarding location and is widely regarded as being on the 'must-surf' list of every enthusiastic surfer. However, only experienced surfers in peak physical condition should attempt Teahupo'o; heavy waves combined with a shallow shoreline can result in serious injuries and even death in a wipeout.

Teahupo'o's reputation for wave riding is partly due to its unique form. An extremely shallow coral reef, which ranges up to 20 inches (51 cm) beneath the water's surface, is responsible for a very hollow-breaking wave. The wave's unique shape, with an effect of almost breaking below sea level, is due to the specific shape of the reef beneath the wave. Its semi circular nature, which drops down sharply creates a 'below water' effect and the extreme angles in descent create an instant instability to the wave. A steep wall of reef causes the entire mass to fold onto a scalloped semi circle breaking arc. The wave bends and races along into a dry reef closeout and the lip of the wave is often as thick as it is tall.

Deaths at Teahupo'o

Teahupo'o was included on Transworld Surf's list of the 'Top 10 Deadliest Waves' and is commonly referred to as the "heaviest wave in the world". The name 'Teahupo'o' loosely translates to English as “to sever the head” or "place of skulls".

There have been five recorded deaths at Teahupo'o since 2000. Most notably was local Tahitian surfer Briece Taerea who was killed at Teahupo'o in 2000, just one week before the annual Teahupo'o WCT event. Taerea attempted to duck-dive a dangerous 12-foot (3.7-meter) wave but was thrown over the falls, landing head first onto the reef. He was recovered from the water, but died later in hospital, suffering from two broken cervical vertebra and severed spinal cord, resulting in paralysis from the neck down.

Teahupo'o ASP World Tour Event Champions

Billabong Pro Teahupoo

  • 1999 - Marc Occhilupo
  • 2000 - Kelly Slater
  • 2001 - Cory Lopez
  • 2002 - Andy Irons
  • 2003 - Kelly Slater
  • 2004 - C.J. Hobgood
  • 2005 - Kelly Slater
  • 2006 - Bobby Martinez
  • 2007 - Damien Hobgood
  • 2008 - Bruno Santos
  • 2009 - Bobby Martinez
  • 2010 - Andy Irons
  • 2011 - Kelly Slater
  • 2012 - Mick Fanning
  • 2013 - Adrian Buchan
  • 2014 - Gabriel Medina
  • 2015 - Jeremy Flores
  • 2016 - Kelly Slater
  • 2017 - Julian Wilson

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
stirling howland
22 August 2010
If you are coming to teahupoo always bring a raincoat.
Load more comments
foursquare.com
6.9/10
40,227 people have been here

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
A Pueu Village

starting $146

Villa Mitirapa

starting $243

Vanira Lodge

starting $179

Bonjouir Lodge Paradise

starting $194

Punatea Village

starting $81

Fare Arearea

starting $76

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Papeete Tahiti Temple

The Papeete Tahiti Temple is the 27th constructed and 25th operating

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Notre Dame Cathedral, Papeete

Notre Dame Cathedral (français. Cathédrale de Papeete Notre-Dame de L

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Sunset Beach (Oahu)

Sunset Beach is on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii and known for big

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Jumeirah Beach

Jumeira Beach is a white sand beach that is located and named after

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
The Wedge (surfing)

The Wedge is a spot located at the extreme east end of the Balboa

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Swami's

Swami's, also known as 'Swami’s Reef'' and 'Swamis', is an i

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Barra da Tijuca Beach

Den här artikeln har skapats av Lsjbot, ett program (en robot) för a

See all similar places