Surfer Wall

The heroes of Nazaré's giant waves

Featured Surfers

Al Mennie

At a towering 6’5″and 250lbs, Red headed Irish big wave surfer Al Mennie operates on the scale of Giants. From humble beginnings at Castlerock Al eventually launched Project Red under which he discovered and pioneered many of the now notorious Irish big surf spots, resolutely forging his own way long before the surfing world recognised Ireland as a legitimate big wave arena. Although being one of the sparks that ignited Irish big wave surfing’s belle epoch and regarded as a sporting hero in Ireland this humble and affable man remains unsullied by the media and industry circus that surrounds the big wave scene. He took to the road and proved himself against the best at established giant surf venues such as Mavericks, Chile, La Vaca and Nazaré. He has successfully competed around the world in both big wave paddle in surfing and tow in surfing. Al has posted several entries in the XXL Big Wave Competition and finished second in the first ever tow surfing contest at Nazare behind Axi Munian. Al was part of the crew that worked with Garrett mcnamara in the early days at Nazaré and was part of the team on the day Garrett rode the Guinness World Record Wave. Al enjoys paddle boarding and was the first man to cross the treacherous Irish Sea between The Giants Causeway and Scotland raising money for charity in the process. Al mainly focuses on mining the almost limitless vein of isolated, cold water big wave breaks that lie off the Irish coast. It is not unlikely that Al Mennie will continue to do what comes so naturally to him and discover, pioneer and ultimately ride what could be the biggest wave ever ridden.

Featured

Carlos Burle

Born on November 9, 1967, in Recife, Brasil, Carlos Burle has a visceral and intimist connection with the water and its movements. Today, he is a big wave rider with many conquests, inside and out of water, for the sport. Two times big wave world champion he holds several records. In October 2013, Burle surfed the biggest wave of his life in Nazaré (Portugal). He is invited for the the first edition of "WSL – Big Wave Tour - Nazaré Challenge".

Featured

Garrett McNamara

Born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and now calling Portugal home, Garrett McNamaraholds the Guinness World Record for riding the largest wave ever surfed, which hecaught in Nazaré Portugal, credited at 78 feet. Recently he was the first foreigner to everbe awarded the prestigious Vasco de Gama Medal of Honor from the Portuguese Navy. McNamara has received multiple WSL XXL awards and honors, including Performance of the Year and Biggest Wave Paddled. He has several 1st and 2nd place finishes in elite big wave surfing competitions and been invited to participate in the QuicksilverInvitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau, or The Eddie, considered one off the greatesthonors in big wave surfing. McNamara has overcome adversity and is a living examplethat everything is possible no matter the circumstances.

Featured

Maya Gabeira

Born in 1987, in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil, Maya Gabeira was surfing in Hawaii in 2014 and fell in love with giant waves while watching the Eddie Aikau competition at Waimea Bay. In 2006, she became a professional surfer and travelled the world searching for giant waves next to Carlos Burle and lately with Pedro Scooby. She won the XXL Big Wave Awards in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012; EPSYS Female Action Sports Athlete in 2009; Teen Choice Awards in 2010; Laureus Award nominee in 2014, with a wave surfed in Nazaré (2013).

Featured

Mike Stewart

Mike Stewart is recognized as one of the top wave riders of our era. He has redefined many aspects of modem wave riding, along the way eaming a multitude of world titles for bodyboording and bodysurfing. He holds 24 Pipeline victories. Renowned as the best bodysurfer, Mike is arguably the most accomplished wave rider ever. He has inspired millions to ride waves that were unimaginable before he did it on a bodyboord, waves like Teahupoo & Pipeline. The 9 time world bodyboord champion surfed Nazare for the first time in 2009. Since then he retums to Praia do Norte every year to compete in the APB "Nazare Pro" World Bodyboard Championships.

Featured

Sebastian Steudtner

Sebastian "Seabas" Steudtner was born in Germany on May 4th 1985. As a teenager his love for surfing brought him to Hawaii were he learned to surf. Since 2013 he calls Nazare his home for the winter. He is notorious for his fearless approach in giant waves. Sebastian is a 2x winner of the WSL Big Wave Award in 2010 and 2015. He was the first European to win the most prestigious award in Big Wave Surfing.