Nic von Rupp, Clement Roseyro, Justine Dupont and Lucas Chianca Win Nazaré Big Wave Challenge
NAZARÉ, Portugal (Saturday, December 13, 2025) - A massive day of competition unfolded today at the World Surf League (WSL) TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge as some of the world’s best big wave surfers braved the 45-60 foot waves at the iconic Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal. Thousands of surf fans lined the cliffs from sunrise to sunset, creating an arena like no other. The team of Nic von Rupp (POR) and Clement Roseyro (FRA) won Best Team Performance, while Justine Dupont (FRA) earned the Women’s Best Performance and Lucas Chianca (BRA) the Men’s Best Performance award.
Team Nic Von Rupp and Clement Roseyro Retain Best Team Performance Award
An incredible display of commitment, local knowledge and time out in the Nazaré lineup saw local hero Nic von Rupp (POR) and Clement Roseyro (FRA) retain their Best Team Performance title. They were in rhythm with the ocean, picking out the best waves of the day for a commanding performance.
“It was an insane, crazy day,” said Roseyro. “Nic got a few bombs, I got a few bombs, everyone is safe. It’s a happy day!”
Nic Von Rupp (WSL/Poullenot)
Roseyro towed Von Rupp into a huge wave, and the Portuguese charger scored one of the best waves of the day, earning an excellent 16.66 (out of a possible 20).
“Clement is an incredible surfer,” said Von Rupp. “He’s a young gun that only appeared two years ago, but he’s already up there with the best of the best. Look at the amount of people here, Nazaré is living its best moments, not only with the crowd, with the event, with the competition and the incredible surfers like Lucas Chianca and Pedro Scooby, but also surfers that aren’t even in this event. I’m so proud to be here, and to win again is the cherry on top.”
Pure Commitment From Lucas Chianca, Earns Men’s Best Performance
Multiple event winner Lucas ‘Chumbo’ Chianca (BRA) delivered one of the most committed performances of the day, charging hard to ride two of the biggest waves, while also enduring two of the biggest wipeouts of the day. After going over the falls on his first wave, Chianca regrouped and was soon back up on another wave. He tried to eject, but went over the falls again and had to endure another wipeout.
“That was a heavy moment for sure,” Chianca said. “It was one of the heaviest wipeouts of my life. I want to thank Sebastian Steudtner for picking me up right in front of the rocks, he saved my life today. The day started really gnarly, but we tried our best. Pedro ‘Scooby’ Vianna (BRA) put me on some bombs, and I put him on some bombs. Thanks to Nazaré for putting on a show and to WSL for making this happen.”
Justine Dupont Goes Back-To-Back For Women’s Best Performance
Backing up her win from the previous edition in February, Justine Dupont (FRA) earned her second Best Women’s Performance award. Based in Nazaré with her family, Dupont rode the giant waves with style, successfully riding out onto the shoulder where her tow-in partner Eric Rebiere (FRA) picked her up safely.
“It was a crazy day, and I’m so happy with the win,” said Dupont. “I just want to thank Eric, he is the best driver out there, and of course Fred. Thanks to the safety team, and Nazaré for a fun day.”
Due to the delayed start caused by fog and further delays caused by a power outage at the headland the WSL Tours & Competitions team made the call that there wasn’t time to safely complete Round 2 in good light. Therefore final event results were taken from the completed Round 1 of competition, which ran in the best waves of the contest.
“We took a chance to run this event on one of the biggest swells, and the athletes rose to the challenge, competing in the best waves of the day. It was a day of incredible performances,” said Francisco Spinola, WSL President, EMEA. “We did have to end the event after Round 1 due to technical difficulties and running out of daylight, but it’s imperative we do not compromise the integrity of the competition and that we make the best decision for the safety of the surfers. The most important win is when the surfers arrive back in the athlete area safe and sound, and that’s what happened, in very heavy conditions. It was an epic day of surfing and congratulations to all our competitors.”
2025/2026 TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge Results:
HEAT 1: Lucas Chianca (BRA) 23.60 DEF. Pedro Scooby (BRA) 21.80, Benjamin Sanchis (FRA) 16.04, Jerome Sahyoun (MAR) 11.90, Michelle des Bouillons (BRA) 17.50, Ian Cosenza (BRA)
HEAT 2: Nic von Rupp (POR) 23.46 DEF. Clement Roseyro (FRA) 21.99, Rafael Tapia (CHL) 10.00, Pierre Rollet (FRA) 11.16, Justine Dupont (FRA) 19.87, Eric Rebiere (FRA)
HEAT 3: James Carew (AUS) 18.74 DEF. Rodrigo Koxa (BRA) 18.13, Andrew Cotton (GBR) 16.30, Vitor Faria (BRA) 12.57, Laura Crane (GBR) 11.93, Antonio Laureano (POR)
Comments
So Nic & Clement win - literally by half a point
Only round one run. Scooby & Chumbo need to win there second round or better the scores of Nic & Clement to win the comp but due to those technical issues including a medical boat missing (so i am told) the second round was cancelled. From 2 pm the public had really no idea what was going on. It was absolutely farcical. On a good note, I am happy to say Aussie 5 times World Kite Surfing Champion Melbourne surfer James Carew came 3rd with Andrew Cotton.
Cheers for the insight, Tim
Tudor's slogan is 'Born to Dare', isn't it?
Maybe 'Born to Try' suits WSL better?
Like my girl Delts Goodrem says:
"No point in talking what you should have been
And regretting the things that went on
Life's full of mistakes, destinies and fate
Remove the clouds look at the bigger picture"
I did see a wicked wave by Tudor ambassador Nic, so that's good..
Who wrote this article? Def not Freeride. Feels like a wall of positivity straight from the WSL and not what we've come to expect from swellnet.
I don’t mind a celebration of positivity where deserved. If people charge and no one dies I reckon that deserves it
Very first wave ridden from deep and wipeout in a 40ft pit was ballsy and total destruction.
Justine Dupont was super impressive yet again.
In true Woz fashion they missed most live waves because of replays...inability to spot surfers on 50foot waves so i turned it off.
It's more like downhill skiing in front of an avalanche than surfing.
Second round should be the same crews paddle surfing to sort the surfers from the stunt men.
Now that would be interesting.
That would add some legitimacy to the sideshow.
chumbo was incredible..totally fearless..well; they all were..as lets face it that's a 10/10 dangerous way to live..if chumbo had of been shredded on the rocks..fine line
Bored in 5 minutes of watching
Like eurovision in the waves
It's completely bizarre to me they can maintain a Longboard world Tour but couldn't maintain a BWWT.
Here was the 2014 schedule.
Southern Hemisphere (April 15, 2014 through August 31, 2014):
– Punta de Lobos, Chile
– Pico Alto, Peru
– Dungeons, South Africa
Northern Hemisphere (October 15, 2014 to February 28, 2015):
– Todos Santos, Mexico
– Punta Galea, Basque Country Spain
– Pe’ahi (Jaws), Maui HI
I reckon just Jaws/Mavs and maybe Nazare would do the job fine.
Maybe throw in Punta Lobos.
Surely they could run a 3 event Tour and crown a legitimate champion each year?
Should change it to a heavy water world tour, instead of needing tall waves, just go to all the heaviest slabs in the world, including Mavs and Peahi, but throw in a few 10foot plus semi dry ledge slabs for paddling as well. Will mean the surfers need a certain skill level to compete and it would be way more entertaining and engaging for the audience. They can't even fucken film the waves live properly at Nazare because the camera crew have no idea how to spot a surfer with huge wake trail and all on a giant wave.
It needs to be 100% paddle. Take pretty much no skill to get towed into a wave.
Agreed in regards to Naz, Takes more than skill at the slabs but paddle would be best for a comp.
There's definitely skill needed to tow waves.
Especially in slab waves,
Driving the ski is far more hectic than surfing in some waves
Ask Reef Macintosh or "Darren over the Handley bars".
100% disagree and what is lost in one aspect is doubled in another.
What I'd like to see, don't even have to have move countries.
- Shippies
- Lunas
- Konys
- The Right
Boom! There's a start. Can't imagine any of those lineups wanting a comp there though hahaha
I would hate that. Keep it free surfing.
Anyhow, with no Jaws comp and BWWT tour now dead this 2 heats of big wave surfing represents the sum total of Professional Competition Big Wave Surfing in 2025.
Time to pronounce it officially dead I reckon.
Any opportunity i get for a Veruca Salt song i'm down FR!! :-P
And yep, it's kaput!
I reckon relatively no one watches the Longboard events or ever watched the Big Wave events. Big difference in cost though. There are hundreds of spots on hundreds of days that could host a longboard event. It’s very much the opposite with a big wave comp.
I watched the big wave tour.
It was great viewing
Thousands and thousands and thousands of people show up to watch Big Wave Events.
about a hundred people on the beach at Bells to watch longboarding.
Maybe at Nazaré.
At probably none of these places
- Punta de Lobos, Chile
– Pico Alto, Peru
– Dungeons, South Africa
Northern Hemisphere (October 15, 2014 to February 28, 2015):
– Todos Santos, Mexico
– Punta Galea, Basque Country Spain
– Pe’ahi (Jaws), Maui HI
Not many big wave places have the viewing platform like Nazaré.
And also, big wave daves have paid to travel half way around the world for a Nazaré event and the forecast swell didn’t arrive so it was adeus amigos.
They’ve managed to hold the Eddie at Waimea only 7 times this century and that’s with having a good run.
Jaws and Mavs they pack the clifftops - thousands of people show.
But I take your point about being harder to run.
Still, how many successful Jaws comps were held- many.
more like a few hundred at most and you cant barely see from the cliff at Peahi.
Absolutley crazy stuff! The size of the waves is amazing & the surfers are off the Richter scale! I've surfed waves up to 20ft++ & it's so heavy, taxing on both the mind & body (if you f*!k up). The pay off is the adreline rush whilst engaging in the pursuit of madness! Hats off to these mad men & women. Big Kahuna's Awards go to the guy who backdoored the peak but then got absoltely trashed by a 40ft close out section & Ms. Dupont who is so calm in the eye of the storm!
50ft wedging peaks are next level drops in any language.
Hitting ribs on the face at max speed and your adrenaline would be peaking ..... as you go over the avalanche.
Meanwhile.... in Ireland
meanwhile... in Japan, engineers build a washing machine for humans