(Photo: Getty Images)
The World Surf League announced Thursday that Brazilian big wave surfer Maya Gabeira set a new world record back in February when she surfed a 73.5 foot wave in Portugal, the biggest wave surfed by anyone so far this year.
Why are we just now hearing about Gabeira's record-breaking ride? Because the women's competition has a different set of measuring criteria than the men's, meaning male surfer Kai Lenny was called the competition's winner, even though Gabeira rode a wave three feet taller than Lenny's.
After the competitors' waves reviewed by scientists multiple times, the WSL finally said Gabeira did indeed surf 2020's biggest wave.