Andrew Cotton: broke his back at Nazaré, came back

8 Nov 2017Broke his back at Nazaré

Dec 2025Still competing here

Their story

Andrew "Cotty" Cotton, from Braunton in North Devon, has been part of the Nazaré story since Garrett McNamara's early years there.

On 8 November 2017, the same day Rodrigo Koxa rode his record wave, Cotton was thrown off a huge wave and landed hard. He broke his L2 vertebra, in his lower back. He spent three days in hospital in Leiria, wore a brace through his recovery, and was surfing again within six months. The wipeout won Wipeout of the Year at the 2018 WSL Big Wave Awards.

He was still competing at Nazaré in December 2025.

Best ride, Nov 2019

Riding a giant at Nazaré, 2019

His wave at Praia do Norte in Nov 2019, two years after the wipeout that broke his back. A Ride of the Year entry at the 2020 WSL Big Wave Awards.

World Surf League

More legends

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Clément Roseyro

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Men's best performance, Feb 2025

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USA (Hawaii)

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See the next one live.

One email when giant waves (10 m+) show up in the models, usually 5 to 7 days ahead.

Alert me when it's big

Photos: Web Summit (portrait), CC BY 2.0; Walterpeitz (header), CC BY-SA 4.0; Walterpeitz (wave photo), CC BY-SA 4.0; Luis Ascenso (wave photo), CC BY 2.0; Carlos Eduardo Joos (wave photos 1, 2), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.