Horror wipeouts from Nazare Big Wave competition
Nazaré in Portugal is a thing of nightmares for your everyday surfers, and sometimes even for the very best in the world.
The WSL Big Wave Tour Nazare Challenge ran overnight at the famed break, where mountains of water humble or make heroes of the few brave souls that take them on.
The event was won by 22-year-old Brazilian Lucas Chianca and good on him, but the best action from the day came from those that didn’t make the wave of their life, from those that saw their lives flash before them as they misjudged the takeoff or got swallowed by the fast-chasing barrel.
The boys are fitted out with state of the art inflatable vests and are watched over by a flotilla of lifeguards on jet skis but that does not mean your life isn’t in the balance when you fall in a place like this.
So take a deep breath, sit back and enjoy the best wipeouts from the big day in the video at the top of the page.