Shane Dorian Peahi Paddle-in

Film by Michael Neal/NealStudios.net
Shane Dorian paddles into one of the largest waves ever caught by hand, at Peahi, or Jaws, on Maui, Hawaii.
Dorian's wave is a late-entry contender for this year's Billabong XXL big-wave competition. It came when the North Pacific lit up in mid-March 2011 just before nominations for XXL waves were closed.
The same swell later went on to hit California and a day or so later, claim the life of another North Shore big wave stand-out, Sion Milosky when he got held under at Mavericks – fact which only underscores just how dangerous this big-wave game is.
Dorian, from the Big Island of Hawaii is in a class of his own when it comes to riding giant waves. Last winter he blew minds when he, too, flew over to surf Mavericks and proceeded to get the best barrel there that anyone had ever seen.
He, and Sion, were part of an upsurge in surfing enormous waves by paddling into them. After some years of jet-ski assisted tow-in riding, the world's top big-wave riders began to tire of the easy way giant waves could be caught if a 4-stroke engine pulls you in. In recent years they're been abandoning the skis and attempting to ride the same-sized waves by paddling into them.
In this case, Dorian made the drop, held on through a sketchy, choppy bottom turn, but eventually got nailed when the giant tube engulfed him before he could properly regain balance.
Peahi has been paddled by a small group of Maui surfers for a few years, but 2010-11 has been the first year that multiple teams of top big-wave riders have been taking it on with their bare hands.