Surfers experienced waves as high as 50 feet in Hawaii on Sunday, delivering epic rides and wipeouts during the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational.

More than 20,000 spectators descended on Waimea Bay for the world’s most prestigious big wave competition on waves that exceeded the height of three-story buildings.

“The conditions are crazy right now,” Luke Shepardson, the 2023 champion, told the World Surf League between his heats. “Right now monsters are coming in. The last few sentences were treacherous. But yes, there are 50, 60 (feet) on the surface…”

Liam McNamara, the competition director, told reporters the waves reached 50 feet high.