Slater praise for surfer, 19, on 'wave of my life'

A 19-year-old surfer has described the moment he rode the "wave of my life" at the notorious Mullaghmore break in Ireland.

North Devon surfer Malakai Hagley's moment on the huge wave went viral on social media, with 11‑time world champion Kelly Slater commenting: "That looks fake! What a ride!"

Hagley said waking up to praise from Slater was overwhelming: "Kelly is the man. To have even a little respect from him blew my mind."

Hagley, who grew up near Croyde and works as a surf coach on the beach, travelled to Mullaghmore in County Sligo, encouraged by big‑wave rider Andrew Cotton, also from north Devon.

Hagley had already made several winter trips to Mullaghmore to paddle the break, but this time Cotton offered to tow him into the swell on a personal watercraft, opening the door to far larger waves.

Hagley said the conditions at the challenging wave, which attracts elite surfers from around the world, turned out to be "some of the biggest waves I have ever surfed".

It was also his first experience of tow‑in surfing where a surfer is "whipped" into a wave on a tow rope.

"I could not even get my feet in the straps at first," said Hagley.

"I was seeing the biggest waves of my life and falling forwards off the board. It was not the ideal day to learn, but we made it work."

Footage of the ride shows Hagley navigating a powerful, pitching wall of water estimated at more than 30ft (9m) high.

Hagley said he realised only afterwards how heavy the wave had been. "At one point the spit blinded me, and I thought I was about to get smashed. I felt the back of the wave hit me and somehow held on. When I made it to the channel I was laughing. I could not believe it."

Hagley first met Cotton when he was five years old, after the surfer visited his primary school to give an inspirational talk. Two decades later, Hagley said it felt "pretty surreal" to be out in the water with the man who once stood in front of his class.

He hopes the ride will help him build support to chase more big‑wave swells next winter. "It was the wave of my life," he said. "Hopefully it is just the start."

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.