Celebration at Nazaré/ Photo: WSL/Estrelinha
The Big Wave Tour is split into two halves: Nothern and Southern Hemispheres, and the second half of the season is now officially open.
The window for the Northern Hemisphere season runs from October 15th to the end of February and features the newly included Narazé, Jaws, and Todos Santos. A few days ago, under the iconic lighthouse atop the cliff in Nazaré, there was a small gathering of some of the world’s greatest big wave surfers. They were there to celebrate the appointment of Nazaré to the BWT.
For years, Nazaré was scoffed at by many in the surfing world. Still, that didn’t stop people like Garrett McNamara from putting in years of work there. What’s less well-known, though, is that the wave everyone sees in images isn’t the only wave on that stretch of beach. As more and more surfers traveled to Portugal to try their hand at surfing the infamous wave, more and more came back with a newfound respect for the power of the place. Its inclusion onto the tour is the culmination of that respect.
The celebration featured a paddle out led by GMac himself, who rightfully snagged a wildcard into the event.
Over the coming months, officials will watch for signs of a swell that might produce waves higher than 30 feet. When or if that happens, competitors have just 72 hours to get to the location and compete.
Also included this year is the Women’s Big Wave Championship event, taking place at either Jaws or Todos Santos.
