It may be a small coastal town in Portugal, but its waves have broken world records.

Surfers regularly challenge their limits at the Praia do Norte (North Beach) in the town of Nazare, famous worldwide for its huge waves.

Last Thursday, French surfer Justine Dupont took on a swell thought to be bigger than 21m at Nazare. If the official measurements agree, Ms Dupont may have broken the world record for riding the biggest wave ever surfed by a woman, the Daily Mail reported.

The current world record was set by Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira last year, also at Nazare, and stands at about 20.7m. Official measurements will be posted in May next year during the World Surf League's Big Wave Awards.

In 2011, American surfer Garrett McNamara set a world record there for the largest wave ever surfed at 23.7m. That record was broken in 2017 by Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa, who set the bar at an incredible 24.3m, becoming the current Guinness World Records title holder for the largest wave surfed (unlimited).