Surfing
Surfing
Legends reign supreme at a spectacular Nazaré Big Wave Challenge
Praia do Norte served up some of the biggest waves ever seen in competition as the 2025-2026 Nazaré Big Wave Challenge delivered stunning surfing set against the awesome power of the Atlantic.
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Justine Dupont, Lucas Chianca, Nic von Rupp and Clement Roseyro have once again walked away victorious from the TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge, as the Atlantic Ocean provided monstrous seas for more than 10,000 spectators lining the northern headland of Nazaré's Praia do Norte.
2025 winners Nic von Rupp, Lucas Chianca, Justine Dupont, Clement Roseyro
© Manel Geada/World Surf League
The 2025-26 edition of the world’s most prestigious tow-surfing event ran in some of the biggest waves ever seen in competition, with faces ranging from 12-15m (40-50ft) and conditions pushing competitors and safety crews to their limits.
The Farol da Nazaré – longtime witness to some of surfing's wildest scenes
© Damien Poullenot/World Surf League
While a power outage saw the final results determined by the standings after the first of two scheduled rounds, there was nothing surprising about the names of the four surfers left atop the podium after another memorable Nazaré day.
Perennial big-wave standout Chianca opened proceedings in spectacular fashion, taking off on an enormous peak in the northern corner of the beach in the first few minutes of the first heat. Heading left, the Brazilian hit chop and was sent flying into the air before the monstrous wave engulfed him, sucking him up and over with the lip, then holding him underwater for nearly 30 seconds.
Chianca surfaced perilously close to the base of the cliff, where big wave legend Sebastian Steudtner was thankfully in the perfect position to effect an immediate rescue, whisking Chianca back to the safety of dry land with military precision.
Lucas Chianca's nightmare wipeout at the 2025 Nazaré Big Wave Challenge
© Damien Poullenot/World Surf League
That was one of the heaviest wipeouts of my life… I want to thank Sebastian Steudtner for picking me up right in front of the rocks. He saved my life
After locking in an 8.00 ride for his wild wipeout, Chianca didn’t spend long on the beach, heading straight back out with his tow-partner, fellow Brazilian Pedro Vianna, going down hard and getting sucked over the falls once again. Never perturbed, the Brazilian warrior once again re-entered the lineup and whipped into another bomb, this time riding away with a 7.60.
Pedro Vianna standing tall at the base of a Nazaré Big Wave Challenge beast
© Damien Poullenot/World Surf League
Another Nazaré day, another Nazaré trophy for Brazilian star Lucas Chianca
© Damien Poullenot/World Surf League
In the first heat, Viana recorded a 21.80 two-wave total, while Chianca sat in the lead with a score of 23.60. When competition was ultimately called off early, Chianca narrowly beat von Rupp by 0.14 points, enough to secure him the Male Performance Award. "The day started really gnarly," admitted Chianca, "but we tried our best. Pedro put me on some bombs, and I put him on some bombs. One more time, Nazaré put on a show, and thank you to everyone."
While von Rupp will take some consolation in claiming the day's best wave, an 8.33 for riding out of a mammoth whitewater explosion, and the Team Performance award alongside tow-partner Roseyro, the Portuguese surfer was hungry for the individual win and was left frustrated with the tiny scoring difference between the wave he rode out of and the wave Chianca fell on.
Nic von Rupp wins back-to-back Best Team Performance with Clement Roseyro
© Damien Poullenot/World Surf League
Nevertheless, von Rupp was all class onstage afterwards. "Nazaré is living its best moments right now," he said. "Not only with the crowd, with the competition and the incredible surfers like Lucas Chianca and Pedro Scooby, but also surfers that aren't even in this event. I'm so proud to be here, and to win again is the cherry on top."
Von Rupp's partner Roseyro finished with a 21.99 two-wave total of his own, enough to wrap up the team's trophy and secure third place individually. "It was an insane, crazy day," said the Frenchman. "Nic got a few bombs, I got a few bombs, everyone is safe. It's a happy day!"
Justine Dupont wins Best Women's Performance at Nazaré for a second time
© Lauren Masuel/World Surf League
"It was a crazy day, and I’m happy with the win," said Justine Dupont, also from France, who hoisted her fifth Nazaré trophy and second straight Female Performance award. The former Championship Tour surfer relocates to Portugal with her family each winter, and now stands head and shoulders above the field as the undisputed Queen of Nazare.
Dupont’s surfing was textbook; perfect wave selection with tow-partner Eric Ribiere allowed her to use her strength and self-assuredness to draw confident, clean lines and kick out safely in the channel after every ride. Her best two waves were a 6.9 (doubled) and a 6.07, which saw her finish on a 19.87 total, out of 30, to take the win from Brazil's Michelle des Bouillons, 17.5, with Great Britain's Laura Crane, 11.93, finishing in third.
Portuguese surfing's field of dreams, Nazaré's Praia do Norte
© Manel Geada/World Surf League
With another chapter written in the history of the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge, competitors will keep pushing their big wave surfing for the rest of the Northern Hemisphere winter, while remembering this year's event for a long time to come. So good were the waves that even with only one round being held, winning totals in every division were better. "Thanks to Nazaré for putting on a show," said Chianca, "and to the WSL for making this happen."
Watch the full replay here:
TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge livestream
Watch in awe as the world’s best big wave surfers tackle the biggest waves in the world in Nazaré, Portugal.
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2025-26 TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge results
Men
- Lucas Chianca (BRA) – 23.60/30
- Nic von Rupp (POR) 23.46/30
- Clement Roseryo (FRA) – 21.99/30
- Pedro Scooby (BRA) 21.80/30
Women
- Justine Dupont (FRA) – 19.87/30
- Michelle des Bouillons (BRA) – 17.50/30
- Laura Crane (ENG) – 11.93/30
Teams
- Nic von Rupp (POR), Clement Roseryo (FRA) – 45.46/60
- Lucas Chianca (BRA), Pedro Scooby (BRA) – 45.40/60
- Andrew Cotton (ENG), James Carew (AUS) – 35.04/60
- Rodrigo Koxa (BRA), Vitor Faria (BRA) – 30.70/60
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