When the going gets tough, the though get going

The Nazaré Challenge, that took place on December 20, wrote a legendary page in surfing history, regardless of the critics, the WSL Big Wave Tour event delivered unprecedented heavy conditions and set the bar on what is possible and ridable, among the heroes of the day was portugese João de Macedo, our beloved "Massas". Macedo took the heaviest wipe outs of the day only to return to the line up and fight his way up to the 3rd position, who knows what he will do in the next Challenge?

That morning was clear that the demented riders who wanted to wait for bigger conditions on Friday didn't know the potential of Praia do Norte's Canyon. With hefty 12m waves in a massive playground with no channel or chance of bail out this is an event only for the truly committed.

Soon the first critics started, much ado with serious injuries and near drowning situations, the hawaiian Koa Rothman, a seasoned Jaws contender, vowed not to surf Praia do Norte again, Twiggy Baker, the current world champ, questioned the Risk/Reward in Nazaré and does not want to surf there again. Despite the critics the water safety was beyond perfection, GMac, Jet Resgate and all the boys delivered safety in what seemed a totally uncontrolled beyond the limits situation.

The contest itself was one to remember for a long time, 12 to 20mt faces, critical drops, giant bowl riding and insane wipe outs that instilled fear among athletes and audience, Nazaré is a beast like no other in our blue planet.

From round one was pretty clear that this was the final frontier, and I believe it will remain like this for years to come, some shyed out of the event, ill prepared and Jet lagged, who can blame them? However some man rose to the ocasion and this was the day of the underdogs:

João de Macedo, the portuguese charger whom was left out of the draw of the big wave contenders in the WSL, dispite having charged mavs like a hero for years, took his oportunity with the widcard he was given for the event and delivered what I describe as a bone chilling performance at Praia do Norte, the man dropped every beast on his reach and caught 2 or 3 of the worst wipe outs I ever seen in just his first heat just to tow out again to ride yet another monster showing what berserker means to all who was there. Inspiring stuff.

Jamie Mitchel is with out a doubt one of the most driven waterman in the planet and now he has the Nazaré Chalenge trophy under his belt, thats an acomplishment well suited for the cool australian, he was able to be in the best spot and catch the gnarliest waves successfully, the choice of riding the big lefts payed off bif time, in WSL points, cash and some massive wipe outs to justify the €50 000 paycheck.

Brazilian Carlos Burle also deserves a praise for the over the top control and strategy he showed in the event, the man truly knows nazaré like few and the vice champion of the Chalenge and former world champion gave the newbies a lesson in big wave comp, I met him just seconds after he got out of the water in the final and he was as calm and rested as when he got in, how does a 52 year old man does it? I dont know but we will ask him when we interview him for Wavecult's blog.

This 3 man stood at the top of a Chalenge that brought fear and courage in epic amounts to all that witnessed it, and to me a renewed hope in seeing Nazaré and Portugal as the corner stone of the WSL Big Wave Championship, in fact there are more 3 or 4 ridable big waves in this side of the atlantic just waiting to be contested but thats stuff for another matter.

#photo #nazare #bigwave #surf #WSL