In November, Dominique Charrier took her first trip to Nazaré. The 22-year-old from Chile spent a month, predominantly paddling, into the left at Praia do Norte. Then she broke her nose and a rib. After months of resting and recovering, the first big swell of the southern hemisphere season arrived in early April at her home break: Punta de Lobos. It looked like proper 20-foot faces, and Domi didn’t miss out.
“I was testing a new 10’2” board, which made me a bit nervous, but it worked incredibly well and I felt so happy to be out there again, feeling fully recovered after the injury that kept me out of the water for three months,” she said. “That day, I really enjoyed myself.”
Busted ribs aside, Domi has been enjoying herself as of late. And her learning curve in big surf has been remarkably quick. has been quick. Her first big-wave season at Punta de Lobos was in 2021, and just four years later, she has a deal with Red Bull. Last year, she surfed in Hawaii and Portugal for the first time. You can catch her highlights in this edit below.
Her Punta de Lobos wave in early April was a no-brainer entry into the 2025 Big Wave Challenge. But she wasn’t done yet. In late May, an even larger swell slammed her favorite left point. What followed was. A 20-foot roll-in that left her hanging on the roof before she slid to the bottom. She committed and stuck the massive drop before getting eaten alive at the bottom.
“The ocean was showing a lot of energy, but it was very messy and the sets were taking a long time,” Domi said. “So when I paddled out, I observed for a few minutes and told myself, okay, today is not a day to wait for too long for a good one, so when a wave comes to me, I’ll go! We were really far from Los Morros and the cliff. Then this wave came, I paddled hard and with a lot of commitment, stood up, saw the first step, and launched myself down. It was an airdrop. I knew the ocean was moving a lot, so I was prepared for that. After a lot of bumps, I made it to the bottom and the wave got me. I think it was one of my worst wipeouts. It felt like I was inside a cement washing machine, crashing on every side. I felt happy to catch this wave, I dropped in very focused to handle the bumps, but when I saw the photos, I was surprised and understood why the wipeout had been so strong!”
Four winters into her big wave journey and Domi is already producing keepers like this. Keep an eye on this young Chilean.