Big wave surfing video predates Tropical Storm Hilary | Fact check
The claim: Video shows surfers during Hurricane Hilary
An Aug. 20 video posted on X, formerly Twitter (direct link, archive link), shows clips of people surfing and falling on large waves while spectators watch from the beach. One surfer is shown flipping in the air multiple times after being thrown from a surfboard.
At the beginning of the video, text that reads "The Wedge – Biggest and Gnarliest day of 2023" is shown superimposed over the footage.
"Crazy video footage of wipeouts from surfers in Newport Beach, California during Hurricane Hillary (sic)," reads the video's caption.
The post was shared more than 100 times on Facebook, according to Crowdtangle, a social media analytics tool. It was also reposted more than 1,000 times on X.
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Our rating: False
The footage was posted on social media months before Tropical Storm Hilary struck California this August.
Surfer 'wipeout' video months old
Hilary had transitioned from hurricane to tropical storm status before it struck California on Aug. 20, causing heavy rainfall and flooding. However, the video has nothing to do with that event.
The footage in the video has circulated on the internet since at least May. All of the clips from the X video can be found in a longer version, titled "The Wedge – Biggest and Gnarliest Day of May Swell 2023! (RAW FOOTAGE)" which was posted on YouTube on May 31.
The rocky jetty shown in the X post footage matches the jetty in Newport Beach, California. "The Wedge," a popular surfing area known for large waves, is located near the jetty in Newport Beach.
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The social media user who shared the post could not be reached.
The post was also debunked by Reuters.
Our fact-check sources:
Surfline, May 18, Instagram post
BEEFS T.V. (YouTube), May 31, The Wedge - Biggest and Gnarliest Day of May Swell 2023! (RAW FOOTAGE)
NOAA, Aug. 21, Former Hurricane Hilary brought Southern California its first-ever tropical storm watch
Orange County Insiders, accessed Aug. 23, The Wedge Newport Beach: What to Expect (2023)
Visit Newport Beach California, accessed Aug. 23, The Wedge
California Beaches, accessed Aug. 23, West Jetty View Beach - The Wedge
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Big wave surfing video predates Tropical Storm Hilary | Fact check
