The Billabong Pro Teahupoo was founded in 1999 and has been recognized as "one of the world's heaviest big wave competitions".

The surfing event takes place in Teahupo’o, a village on the south-west coast of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, southern Pacific Ocean.

[1] The breaks heavy waves combined with a shallow shoreline can result in serious injuries and even death in a wipeout.

The Billabong Pro Teahupo'o's reputation for wave riding is due partly to its unique form.

An extremely shallow coral reef which ranges up to 20 inches beneath the waters surface is responsible for a very hollow-breaking wave.

A steep wall of reef causes the entire mass to fold onto a scalloped semi circle breaking arc.

Combined, these unique properties have earned Teahupo’o the reputation as one of the most dangerous surf breaks in the world.