Riding the Wave: Tudor Nazaré Big Wave Challenge

The call came on a Friday in mid-January. The Tudor Nazaré Big Wave Challenge had finally opened its much-anticipated competition window and, if they wanted to compete, the global surf community had 72 hours to drop everything and descend on the Portuguese coast. It’s an abrupt, unpredictable way to announce an annual event — but the waves wait for no one.

And, every winter, Nazaré — situated roughly two hours from Lisbon — transforms from a quaint seaside town into a global sporting hot spot. There’s a deep underwater canyon at the foot of the town’s famed cliffs that gives rise to some of the largest waves on Earth.

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So fierce are these waves that they shake the ground, and have the power to crush the spirits of even the most seasoned surfers. And yet, would-be competitors arrive in droves — undeterred and ready to do battle with the ocean for the title of Big Wave champion.

This year, although there were no legendary 100-footers to be surfed, swells averaging 30 to 40 feet gave the nine competing teams plenty to work with. Nic von Rupp, a Tudor Watches ambassador for the last two years, had set his sights on the 2024 prize. However, he and his French teammate, Clement Roseyro, sadly found themselves in second place by the end of the competition.

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In the end, it was a Brazilian podium sweep, with Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca and Pedro “Scooby” Vianna taking the overall win, alongside Maya Gabeira, who scooped Women’s Best Performance. And the other surfers? They face a long wait until next January when, once again, they will grab their boards and answer the call.