Brave surfers tackle massive waves following California's storm

Big wave surfers from around the world have flocked to California to ride the massive storm swells hitting the US West Coast. Surfers from countries like Brazil, France, and Portugal have gathered at the famous Mavericks wave, located south of San Francisco, to take on the enormous walls of water. Waves reaching up to 70ft (21 meters) have been successfully surfed, with even bigger waves passing by. Rogue waves have caused injuries to spectators, prompting officials to issue warnings to stay away from the shore. The Maverick Surf Awards competition organizer, Chris Cuvelier, revealed that surfers from all over the world have traveled to Mavericks to ride its legendary waves. Big wave surfers like Kai Lenny, Andrew Cotton, and Lucas Chumbo have also appeared at Mavericks to compete for the cash prize offered by the Maverick Awards. This year, surfers are filming their rides to enter the digital competition for a chance to win a portion of the 2024 prize pool. San Diego-based pro surfer, JoJo Roper, traveled to Mavericks when he saw the huge swell in the forecast, describing it as the biggest since 2007. Roper rode the massive 60-70ft waves, being towed by a friend on a jet ski. He expressed his happiness about catching such amazing waves close to home. Roper declared that Thursday was one of the best days of his life and felt honored to have ridden the barrel of a collapsing wall of water. The forecast predicts more swells at Mavericks, but only experienced professional surfers are advised to enter the ocean during this weather event influenced by El Niño. Mavericks is considered the ultimate big wave spot on the West Coast and is not recommended for beginners or intermediate surfers in these conditions. El Niño is a weather phenomenon that affects the climate and brings about changes in weather patterns.