Surfing
Surfing
Witness Nazaré Reach Massive New Heights
The swell forecast promised one of the biggest surf days ever at Nazaré, and it didn't disappoint. Watch Portugal's giant turn it up to the max.
4 min
Watch as Nazaré reaches massive new heights
The swell forecast promised one of the biggest ever days of surf at Nazaré, and it did not disappoint. Witness Portugal's giant turn it up to 11.
Here we go. As promised yesterday, the big-wave footage rolling in from around the world is as heart-pumping as we had hoped. First it was Hawaii's legendary Jaws, now its Nazaré—and not just any old Nazaré. On Jan. 18, the Portuguese beast also known as Praia do Norte showed up with waves the size of mountains.
Not every big-wave surfer could be there for the show. Many are still in Maui and California, which just finished a fantastic run of massive surf, but consummate hellman Ross Clarke-Jonesandthe European contingent were present and ready.
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"I'm just a passenger, along for the ride," Clarke-Jones said after the historic session, reflecting on an absolute bomb that Benjamin Sanchis had whipped him into. In the last week, he'd bounced from Portugal to New York to Hawaii and back again. "Seriously, the money I spent and all the flying, it was just so worth it for those one or two waves."
Maya Gabeira tows into a massive right
© Ricardo Bravo
Benjamin Sanchis stands between two Nazaré mountains
© Ricardo Bravo
Benjamin Sanchis had been in Hawaii, too, surfing Jaws, and made a last-minute decision to fly back to Nazare after talking about the swell forecast with Clarke-Jones. It was a good call — he also bagged one of the biggest waves of the day. "Ross Clarke-Jones is the legend, the human legend, the best in the business," he told filmer Alex Laurel afterward.
But it was Sebastian Steudtner, perhaps Nazaré's finest charger, who owned the day — not because he caught the biggest wave; he didn't quite — but because he revealed his secret weapon for taking on Naz. "I woke up this morning and had a slice of lasagna that my mum made," he let us know.
So there you have it. Mum's lasagna is the secret to surfing truly massive waves.
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