Surfing Guinness Book of World Records recognized a wave ride by Garrett McNamara at Nazaré, Portugal as the largest wave ever surfed. For hundreds of years, surfing was a central part of ancient Polynesian culture. Surfing may have first been observed by British explorers at Tahiti in 1767. Samuel Wallis and the crew members of who were the first Britons to visit the island in June of that year. Another candidate is the botanist Joseph Banks being part of the first voyage of James Cook on , who arrived on Tahiti on 10 April 1769. Lieutenant James King was the first
Miss Tahiti of the Polynesian culture). The "Miss Dragon" will represent the French Territory at the annual Miss Chinese International beauty contest. Internationally, the winners of Miss Tahiti traditionally competed in Miss World until 2002. The first Miss Tahiti, Teura Bauwens, was sent to Miss World 1960. In 2009, a separate Miss French Polynesia contest was established for Miss World. Winners of Miss Tahiti were also sent to the Miss International pageant during the 1960s and 70s and to Miss Universe between 1978-1985. Nowadays, the runners-up of Miss Tahiti now participate in Miss International and Miss Earth pageants. ‡ Fuller has later