Surfing Today reports the conditions in Nazare "were heavenly perfect".
"Light southern winds and strong swell coming from northwest and hitting the local canyon as it should," the website said.
Speaking to media after breaking the record last year McNamara said he originally didn't want to attempt the waves that day after wiping out numerous times on even bigger swells in the same spot, above an undersea canyon known as one of the biggest wave-generators on the planet.
"I was really beat-up that morning," he said. "This day, I did not want to get out of bed."
He changed his mind at the urging of friends, once they got into the ocean and he helped others catch a few waves.
"Everything came together," McNamara said. "Everything felt right."
- nzherald.co.nz
