Beggars can’t be choosers.
But when it comes to Nazaré, Portugal – although it hosts undoubtedly the biggest waves the known surfing world has to offer – there is one issue: no tubes.
At least, practically no tubes. Compared to other big wave spots, like Jaws or Mavs, the wave at Nazaré is more slanted, less lurching. But surfers being surfers, they have that innate, insatiable lust for tubes; and they will always hunt for a potential cover-up.
Portugal’s own, Nic Von Rupp, being no different.
During a recent session out at Nazaré, NVR hunted for that elusive tube. He got close, but no cigar. And in the process, he nearly got clipped by the lip – an impact that would’ve led to certain decapitation…well, at the very least, a sore neck.
Related: Potential New Record for Largest Wave Ever Surfed (Video)
“It was already sundown,” Nic explained after the wave. “But they were like, ‘go, go, go! One more!’ I was like, ‘no dude, let’s fucking go.’ And…we got one more wave. There was this left peak, and I was really deep. But I had so much speed, and the dream is to get a big barrel out there on a left. I went and it was about to barrel, then I straightened out, and the thing just landed on me and ate me alive. It was a good experience. Getting closer to that barrel.”
Related: Was the 100 Foot Wave Surfed? A Semi-Scientific Breakdown (Clip)
Tubes at Nazaré…will they become more common? Maybe so. The wave isn’t going to change any time soon, but how people surf the wave is definitely evolving. Like, for instance, the recent potential world records – stay tuned on those.
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