"You don't ride it, it rides you!"
You read here, just two days ago, that the surf forecasting website Surfline has called off Christmas in the Pacific informing surf hopefuls that there will be zero big swells do unfortunate climate indicators. A real bah humbug moment but… what is that faint cheering I hear? The clinking of crystal goblets filled with Salon Blanc de Blanc?
Is that Anderson Cooper and his best pal Garrett McNamara celebrating?
It is! And they have every right for while Surfline may have pulled the plug on the Pacific, it appears the Atlantic is ready to put on a show with the first World Surf League Big Wave Tour of the year to kick off this Friday at Nazare and let’s turn to the World Surf League’s official mouthpiece for more:
“We’ve officially issued a Green Alert to run the Nazaré Challenge on Friday, November 16,” said Mike Parsons, WSL Big Wave Tour Commissioner. “The conditions we’ve been closely tracking still look favorable for Friday. We hope to see epic waves for the surfers to paddle into in the 25-35-foot face range. The swell and the winds are expected to all come together and be very clean to kick off the Big Wave Tour season.”
Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca (BRA), reigning Big Wave Tour Champion Billy Kemper (HAW), and Kai Lenny (HAW) are a few of the competitors on this year’s roster.
“I’ve been doing some big wave training and feeling out some new boards,” said Kai Lenny. “Nazaré is usually too big and we are waiting for a swell that is not 100 feet so we can paddle it. It is more survival. Just survive. I’m trying to prepare myself mentally right now. If you go to Nazaré, you will probably get smoked no matter what.”
Jamie Mitchell, 2016/17 Nazaré Challenge winner, has recently recovered from a shoulder injury. The Australian is coming back stronger and motivated to claim his second event win.
“Nazaré is a crazy wave; you don’t ride it, it rides you,” said Mitchell. “The boundaries continue to get pushed here. I’m coming off a shoulder surgery this summer and have worked hard to be ready for the Big Wave Tour, so it would be special to do well again here. I am jumping on a plane, heading over there now and am excited that we are on.”
I wonder if anyone is going to #metoo Nazare for riding them without permission?
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I got home from the beach and chatting with friends to watch the semis and final. It was freaking epic. There were so many waves. One of the best contests I ever watched. Everyone was charging!
AC said “I burned my eyes”.
How does one burn one’s eyes while tootling about on a jet ski in Portugal?
The fact you think Chas nor Derek have a newish iPhone camera and a ton of free time is insane.
“You don’t ride it, he rides you!” That’s the team GMAC and Coopies joking slogan between each other.