Over the past few days, the world’s hardest-charging hellmen flocked to Cloudbreak in anticipation of a swell that was expected to create surf of historic proportions. The forecast was calling for absolutely mountainous waves, and it didn’t disappoint. As the swell started to trickle in, it looked like it would rival the infamous Code Red swell that bombarded Fiji back in 2012, during the Volcom Fiji Pro. As photos and footage were exported from the channel and uploaded onto social media, it quickly became clear that this swell would go down in history as one of the best and biggest days ever at Cloudbreak.

“I think this year [compared to the 2012 swell] everyone was far more prepared with their paddle boards, safety teams, and tow boards,” says staff photographer Todd Glaser, who was able to capture the groundbreaking day from the channel. “So when the biggest waves came that were questionable if they could be paddled, the tow teams got them.”

To read the full article and see all images by Todd Glaser, click HERE.