Praia do Norte in the spotlight with four trophies at the 2026 Big Wave Challenge Awards

Praia do Norte was once again at the heart of the world of big wave surfing. After having ten waves among the nominees for the 2026 Big Wave Challenge Awards, Praia do Norte was at the centre of four of the main trophies presented at the ceremony, held this weekend at the historic Lido Theater in Newport Beach, California.

Rodrigo Koxa, Michelle des Bouillons, Grant Baker and Alberto Truncer were the winners of the Men’s Biggest Wave, Women’s Biggest Wave, Men’s Biggest Paddle and Wipeout of the Year categories, respectively, with performances carried out at Praia do Norte during the 2025/2026 season.

Rodrigo Koxa wins Men’s Biggest Wave

In the Men’s Biggest Wave category, all the nominations were associated with waves surfed at Praia do Norte, with the trophy ultimately going to Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa, who beat Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca and Clément Roseyro.

Koxa was recognised for the wave he surfed at Praia do Norte in December 2025, which received a preliminary measurement of 29.15 metres. The size of the wave could once again put the Brazilian in the history books of world records. However, the 29.15-metre measurement is still preliminary, and any potential new world record will have to be officially validated by Guinness World Records.

The current official world record for the biggest wave ever surfed belongs to German surfer Sebastian Steudtner, who surfed a 26.21-metre wave, also at Praia do Norte, in 2020.

For Rodrigo Koxa, this also marks a return to the top of the big wave surfing awards. The Brazilian had already made history in Nazaré, where he set the then world record for the biggest wave ever surfed in 2017.

Michelle des Bouillons wins Women’s Biggest Wave

Praia do Norte was also directly connected to the winning performance in the women’s category. Michelle des Bouillons won the Women’s Biggest Wave award with a wave surfed in Nazaré in December 2025, beating Justine Dupont and Michaela Fregonese, who were also nominated with waves surfed at Praia do Norte.

Michelle’s wave received a preliminary technical measurement of 24.99 metres and could potentially establish a new women’s world record if the measurement is officially ratified.

For now, the official women’s world record remains with fellow Brazilian Maya Gabeira, who surfed a 22.40-metre wave at Praia do Norte in 2020.

Grant Baker wins Men’s Biggest Paddle

In the Men’s Biggest Paddle category, dedicated to the biggest waves caught while paddling in, the winner was South African surfer Grant “Twiggy” Baker.

Baker was nominated with a wave surfed at Praia do Norte, alongside Jojo Roper, who was also nominated for a wave in Nazaré. The third nominee was Nic Lamb, with a wave surfed at Todos Santos, Mexico.

Another trophy for a performance at Praia do Norte, this time in one of the most demanding disciplines of big wave surfing: catching a wave without the assistance of a jet ski.

Interestingly, the video of the Wipeout of the Year was filmed by Nazaré local Hélio António, a more than familiar presence capturing the best moments at Praia do Norte.

Alberto Truncer wins Wipeout of the Year

The fourth award associated with Praia do Norte came in the Wipeout of the Year category.

Alberto Truncer won the award for a wipeout at Nazaré, in a category that also included Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca, with a wipeout at Praia do Norte, and Eric Nicholson, with a wave at Mavericks, California.

Interestingly, the video of the Wipeout of the Year was filmed by Nazaré local Hélio António, a more than familiar presence at Praia do Norte, where he regularly captures some of the best moments of the giant waves. The footage also earned Hélio António an award.

The performance also had another Nazaré connection behind the scenes. Dino Carmo, also from Nazaré, was the jet ski driver who pulled Alberto Truncer into the wave and carried out the rescue after the wipeout.

The award highlights another dimension of Nazaré’s waves. Beyond the huge rides and impressive measurements, Praia do Norte is also the stage for some of the most extreme and demanding moments in big wave surfing, with local professionals playing an important role in making these performances possible.

Tom Lowe and Justine Dupont are the Surfers of the Year

The Surfers of the Year were also among the highlights of the ceremony. In the men’s category, the award went to Tom Lowe, while Justine Dupont won the women’s title.

The French surfer is one of the best-known figures in big wave surfing and a regular presence at Praia do Norte. In this edition, Justine Dupont was also nominated in the Women’s Biggest Wave category, with a wave surfed in Nazaré.

The award further highlights Justine Dupont’s presence among the leading figures in the sport and once again connects the French surfer’s name with Praia do Norte.

Nazaré once again at the heart of big wave surfing

The 2026 edition of the Big Wave Challenge Awards leaves a particularly strong mark on Praia do Norte.

The results reinforce Nazaré’s importance on the international big wave surfing scene and continue the prominence Praia do Norte has achieved in recent years.