Code Red

You've never seen Teahupoo quite like this

Forget the adage about tubes being so big they could swallow a school bus. At Teahupoo today, they could engulf a small armada. Photo: Joli

In what will surely be one of the most talked about sessions of the decade, history was made today at Teahupoo as a handful of international chargers whipped into some of the most nightmarish waves ever surfed in Tahiti. Paddling into waves today was out of the question and the Billabong Pro was given a layday. The swell proved to be so immense that the Tahitian government issued a Code Red warning, banning the surrounding seas of boats and watercraft. The lineup at Teahupoo, it seems, was an exception. Here’s a snippet of the proof, courtesy of our man on the ground, photographer Peter Joli. We’ll have a full-length gallery of the action from Teahupoo on the site soon.

As wide as she was tall, Teahupoo produced a next-level playing field today. Photo: Joli

The term "commitment" comes to mind here. Photo: Joli

Despite being swarmed by tow-teams there were still plenty of bulls that went unridden today. Photo: Joli

Alex Gray, engulfed in azure. Photo: Joli