When it comes to riding giant waves, the two places that come to mind are Mavericks, off the coast of Northern California and Jaws, off the coast of Maui. Even the most famous surfing destinations in Europe, are rarely good enough to garner much respect.

However, things may be a little different this year - On February 16th, professional surfer Benjamin Sanchis, shook up the perception of timid European waves, by conquering a monster wave at Belharra Reef off the coast of Hosseger, France. The wave is so big it has put him in the lead contention in several categories of the prestigious XXL Billabong awards, including - Biggest wave.

If he wins, it will be a first for Europe, which has often been shut out of the competition, because while the waves at its top destinations are big, they appear very puny when compared to the ones in the North Pacific. To check out the other monster wave entries of this year-long competition, which ends on the first day of spring, go to billabongxxl.com.

Resources:grindtv.com,allvoices.com