Former Love Islander Laura Crane has stunned her followers by tackling what could be a world record-breaking wave.
The surfer, 30, appeared on Love Island in 2018, when she was taking a break from competing in surfing.
Crane, who is from Devon, was competing in the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge in Portugal when she surfed possibly the biggest wave ever attempted by a woman.
Her attempt is now being reviewed by the Guinness Book of World Records, a process which could take months, even years.
She will have to beat Maya Gabeira of Brazil, who currently holds the women's record at 73½ft (22.4m) wave at Nazaré in February 2020.
Crane’s phenomenal efforts were uploaded to her 397,000 Instagram followers, and praised by fans in the comment section.
“Monster wave, sooo clean and what about the light,” one wrote.
Another added: “This is truly a proud moment! A Surf South West Teacher to BIG WAVE surfer…….way to go LC…”
Crane told the Times surfing the wave was an “out of body experience”.
“You are moving so quickly and you don't have much control of what is going to happen and it's just having to trust yourself, your training, your body and mind and trust the ocean that everything is going to work out OK,” she said.
“As I looked back over my shoulder and saw this thing, your first feeling is fear, which is the body's response to danger, and the next step is having to really control that and make sure you are as present in that moment and trust that you can do it.”
Earlier this year, Crane broke her ankle while surfing a huge wave off Nazaré and has been determined to compete in this winter’s competition.
She said she burst into tears when she was picked up her support team on a jet ski after completing the wave.
“It was just incredible tears of happiness and joy, and that I got to have this incredible experience with this wave that I have seen in my dreams a million times over,” she added.
“It’s always a lot of relief. Once you look over your shoulder at the most critical part, when it's breaking over your head, you are just trying not to freak out about what is towering behind you. And there is a big moment of relief when your driver is there to pick you up.”
