Footage of British surfer Tom Lowe falling foul of a violent 30-foot Mexican wave has been described as one of the biggest wipeouts ever recorded
For surfers who chase the biggest waves, the
occasional wipeout goes with the territory. But Cornish surfer Tom Lowe
got more than he bargained for when he visited Puerto Escondido in
Mexico in May.
Footage of Lowe has
been published online in which he tackles a 30-foot wave - and comes out
a distant second best. Leaping from his board, he is seen "pencil
dropping" into the water, a technique used by surfers to propel themselves as far as possible below the wave to avoid the worst of its force.
Quoted in the Daily Mail, Lowe, a professional surfer from St Ives, said: "This wipeout was definitely the longest free fall that I have ever had.
"The plan wasn't to fall. If I had made that wave I would have got the ride of my life.
'I don't train to fall, but things don't always go to plan with Mother Nature and you have to just roll with it."
Commenting on the video online, other surfers have described Lowe's wipeout as one of the greatest of all time, and it has been nominated for a TAG Heuer Wipeout of the Year award, part of the World Surf League's Big Wave Awards.
"I was only under that water for about 15 seconds," Lowe, 32, said, "but it was the most violent 15 seconds of my life. I had whiplash from being bashed against the sand.
"The injuries were really minor considering the size of the wave. I got away very lightly."
'I don't train to fall, but things don't always go to plan with Mother Nature and you have to just roll with it."
Commenting on the video online, other surfers have described Lowe's wipeout as one of the greatest of all time, and it has been nominated for a TAG Heuer Wipeout of the Year award, part of the World Surf League's Big Wave Awards.
"I was only under that water for about 15 seconds," Lowe, 32, said, "but it was the most violent 15 seconds of my life. I had whiplash from being bashed against the sand.
"The injuries were really minor considering the size of the wave. I got away very lightly."
