Nathan Florence has been all over the map chasing waves on his self-proclaimed Slab Tour for the last few months.
He’s surfed Sumatra in Indo, South Africa, Scotland, and Skeleton Bay, among others. And he still made it home for the first swell of the season and shared birthday barrels with John John on the North Shore.
Now he’s off to Nazaré for the New Big Wave Challenge Awards where the world’s most brave and ballsy surfers will be judged on their biggest and gnarliest waves of the season.
Florence dropped his latest video above yesterday and captioned it:
“We are headed to the big wave awards.”
First, Florence recaps on his recent travels:
“We are packing up and we’re on our way back to Europe. We literally were just in Europe, flew home, and scored the first swell of the winter. It was epic. Got some Pipe waves, got to spend John’s birthday with him, did the family thing, and got to score some waves as well.”
He explains that he’s off to Nazaré for the awards where he’s been nominated for several categories including Ride of the Year, Performer of the Year, and Wipeout of the Year.
“I’m just excited because I have that big left at Mullaghmore entered and then I have the big right I rode later,” he says.
Adding:
“I had broken my back at Jaws at the beginning of this year then I was able to go and be more active than I’ve ever been since that injury. And I have those giant Porto wipeouts, which are just disturbing.”
According to the New Big Wave Challenge’s website:
“This year’s event window will include every wave ridden at every big wave break around the world from August 2022 through July 2023. The top contenders will rise to the top and the winners will be declared in a gala awards party to be held in Nazaré, Portugal on October 28, 2023.”
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