Surfing
Surfing
Lucas ‘Chumbo’ Chianca wins big at TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge 2022
The Nazaré Tow Challenge went down at Praia de Norte, Nazaré, Portugal, with the world’s best big wave surfers eyeing up clean, 40-to-50-foot waves.
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Post-event update
From the first heat Lucas ‘Chumbo’ Chianca burst out of the gates, and despite not surfing with his usual team-mate, Chianca and Nic von Rupp put on a big show. Chianca kicked it off with a score of 8.33 after cutting down the line with a critical turn in the lip and riding it out. Both surfers increased their scores in their second heat and Chianca raised the level when he launched into a flawless alley oop on a 25-foot wave face.
“We’re super stoked, we have a special connection out there. We are always looking for the same waves and that’s why I think we are the perfect match!” said Chianca.
“It’s a really great opportunity, I’ve always looked up to Chumbo,” said Von Rupp. “He is the guy that always pushes your limits and his own limits so it’s a pleasure to compete with him.”
Nazaré standout Justine Dupont unfortunately injured her left ankle during her first heat which brought an early end to her day out at Nazaré.
Watch all the big wave action as VOD below.
Live event
Watch the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge at the new home of big wave surfing – Red Bull TV.
Awards celebrate best performances
Chianca retained the Men’s Best Performance and the Best Team Performance titles, this time partnering with Von Rupp.
“I was happy with my waves, and I can’t wait to learn more and try to improve with my surfing. I’m super stoked to win the best performance and best team with Nic. We had that connection in the water, that was the best part. I didn’t have to say anything, he was choosing the waves for me and I just performed and he did the same so it was the best,” said Chianca.
It was a close battle for the Women’s Best Performance award between Michelle Des Bouillons (FRA) and Maya Gabeira (BRA), but patience and experience paid off for the Brazilian who clinched the top spot in the last heat of the day.
Event location and format
The 2022 WSL Nazaré Tow Challenge, presented by Jogos Santa Casa, is officially on with a 9am start this Thursday, February 10, in the small fishing town of Nazaré, Portugal.
“The swell has arrived and it’s big enough. It’s 40-50 foot, maybe we’ll see some bigger waves throughout the day. The winds have backed off, it’s not as strong as was predicted so we have some fog, but it’s contestable for a 09:00 AM start,” said Garrett McNamara, WSL Tours and Competition, Big Wave Consultant.
The peaks of Nazaré
© Alex Papis
Invitees
- Team 1 – Red: Lucas Chianca (BRA) and Nic Von Rupp (PRT).
- Team 2 – Cyan Blue: Justine Dupont (FRA) and Antonio Laureano (FRA).
- Team 3 – Brown: Andrew Cotton (GBR) and Will Skudin (USA).
- Team 4 – Pink: Rodrigo Koxa (BRA) and Eric Rebiere (FRA).
- Team 5 – Green: Axi Muniain (EUK) and Francisco Porcella (ITA).
- Team 6 – Blue: Michelle Bouillons (BRA) and Ian Cosenza (PRT).
- Team 7 – Yellow: Rafael Tapia (CHL) and Jaime Mitchell (AUS).
- Team 8 – Purple: Joao de Macedo (PRT) and Antonio Silva (PRT).
- Team 9 – Black: Maya Gabeira (BRA) and Pierre Caley (FRA).
Format
The nine teams will be divided into three groups. There will be six 50-minute heats and each group will surf in two heats.
- Heat 1: Group A – Teams 1, 5 and 8.
- Heat 2: Group B – Teams 3, 4 and 9.
- Heat 3: Group C – Teams 2, 6 and 7.
- Heat 4: Group A – Teams 1, 5 and 8.
- Heat 5: Group B – Teams 3, 4 and 9.
- Heat 6: Group C – Teams 2, 6 and 7.
A surfer's best two waves after both heats will count to their individual total score, while a surfer’s best wave will count double points.
The maximum individual total score is 30 points and the scoring scale ranges from 1-10 points.
Leaderboards
Individual Leaderboard: Total of the best two scoring waves (out of a maximum 30 points).
Team Leaderboard: Total of the best two scoring waves of both team riders' waves (out of a maximum 60 points).
Awards
- Award for Best Male Performance: Total of the best two scoring waves.
- Award for Best Female Performance: Total of the best two scoring waves.
- Award for Best Team Performance: Total of the best two scoring waves of both team riders.
- Jogos Santa Casa Most Committed Award
Prize money
- Award for Best Female Performance: $9,000.
- Award for Best Team Performance: $10,000.
- Jogos Santa Casa Most Committed Award: €1,500.
2020 Commitment Award winner Alemão de Maresias with Kai, Chumbo, Justine
© WSL/Poullenot
The 2022 WSL Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge window has opened
Red Bull TV will be the exclusive streaming partner for all WSL Big Wave events in 2022. This includes the Quiksilver Jaws Big Wave Challenge presented by TUDOR and the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge presented by Jogos Santa Casa. The waiting period is open for both events and runs until March 31, so stay tuned to this page for all of your Nazaré updates.
Kai Lenny lets go of the rope and leans into a behemoth Nazaré wall
© Laurent Masurel/WSL
Surfing's most famous grandstand delivers for a packed house in Portugal
© Laurent Masurel/WSL
Lucas Chianca launching into action at Nazaré
© Laurent Masurel/WSL
Want more from Nazaré?
Savour 6 minutes of Nazaré at its nastiest, courtesy of Hurricane Epsilon:
6 min
Hurricane Epsilon swell in Nazaré
The Nazaré big wave season kicks off with a bang as Hurricane Epsilon brings a historic swell to the shore.
In the last week of October 2020, a late-season Atlantic hurricane pushed massive swell to the shores of Western Europe, but no place was bigger, or more in the spotlight, than Portugal's Nazaré. It's become somewhat of a tradition in the last few years at Nazaré: autumn is barely beginning and a historic swell crashes into Praia do Norte, sending the pros from zero to 60 in 24 hours time.
The scrambling began around Monday, October 26, when a hurricane called Epsilon, which had been spinning around the Atlantic for weeks, finally set a steady course toward Europe. The swell maps went red. Then purple. Then black. Even better, the weather conditions for the arrival of the first bands of swell looked favourable. As the swell continued to build, all eyes moved south, to what big wave surfer Nic Von Rupp calls "the biggest show on Earth." You guessed it: Nazaré.
Kai Lenny tows Lucas 'Chumbo' Chianca into a Nazaré bomb
© Mathieu Pelikan, Siam Images
Leave it up to Kai Lenny to attempt foiling at Nazaré
© Mathieu Pelikan, Siam Images
Kai Lenny, whipping Carlos Burle underneath the mountain peak
© Mathieu Pelikan, Siam Images
Justine Dupont, untouchable at Nazaré
© Mathieu Pelikan, Siam Images
Stay tuned to this page for more updates from the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge presented by Jogos Santa Casa.
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