Portugal keeps rising on the global surfing stage. In terms of extreme sports, Garrett McNamara has been getting a lot of attention due to his record-breaking big wave surf run back in November when surfing in Nazaré, Portugal.
Garrett McNamara’s Nazare record-breaking wave
Back in November McNamara rode a 90ft (27.4m) wave in Nazaré, Portugal, prompting plenty of press, even from mainstream media sources. Was it the biggest wave in the world, ever surfed? Who knows? It was the biggest one caught on film, however, and most likely the largest wave ever surfed in Europe. So well done Garrett! This may be the biggest wave in the world surfed for a while now.
Garrett McNamara is a 44-year old Hawaiian big wave surfer who travels the world in search of mammoth waves to catch. Big wave surfers usually rely on Jet Skis to tow them out into the massive, dangerous surf. But Garrett has already surfed big waves without the use of a Jet Ski by using a motorized surfboard called a WaveJet.
He tells of his experience catching the 90ft Portuguese wave:
It started to build and build as I was going down. I usually don’t get a chance to look back, but I look back once, I look back twice, and it’s still coming down. After I made a turn at the bottom and came up, a big gob of water came and landed on my shoulder really hard. It almost squashed me down and that is when I realized it was a big wave.
– from kitv.com
Now he wants to tackle a 120ft (36.5m) wave, with the help of a special wet suit. Equipped with an oxygen pocket. This will provide a few minutes of breathing time, should he get trapped underwater by the massive waves.
McNamara has his plans all lined up, right down to the military-grade swell-monitoring equipment he’s using as well as the private jet that’s on standby to [whisk] him away to Portugal should conditions prove favorable for ridable 100-foot waves.
– from Mother Nature Network
The Hawaiian daredevil also likes to share his passion for surfing with autistic children by taking them out on the waves. Next up for Garrett McNamara is finding a 120ft (36m) wave to surf in order to solidify his position as the king of the big wave surfers. Sounds a bit dangerous!
Surfing Portugal Dream Coast: Liga MEO Pro Surf
In other surfing news, Portugal’s Liga MEO Pro Surf – the country’s main national professional competition league – will now work in direct conjunction with the World Championships. Liga MEO Pro Surf is now connected with the World Championship’s sponsor, Rip Curl. This means that Portugal’s top surfers will have a chance to qualify for the World’s at Liga MEO Pro Surf.
The first of five Liga MEO Pro Surf happens in Ericeira on March 16-18th on Ribeira d’Ilhas beach. Surfers competing in Ericeira will get their chance to qualify for the 8th stage of the World Championships. This will take place in Peniche next October.
Read more (in Portuguese) on diáriodigital.