A FORCE OF NATURE

Professional surfer Nic von Rupp talks fear, passion and preparing yourself to take on Mother Nature

- JOSH WALKER, MICHELLE ZERILLO-SOSA

Known as the Portuguese version of Nazareth, Nazaré is a seaside location with a history tied to Christianity. It’s not just biblical stories that draw people to Nazaré, though, but the behaviour of its ocean. Between October and March, this coast becomes home to the largest waves in the world, bringing photographers and tourists to its beaches, and people similar to Nic von Rupp to experience their size first-hand.

“For us, it’s the only wonder in the world,” says von Rupp. “There’s no place in the world that refracts the wave in the way Nazaré does. There’s a lot of big waves, but none are as consistent and big as Nazaré. It’s amazing. People are starting to realize that and comparing it to wonders in nature.”

Having grown up around this phenomenon, surfing is something that came naturally to von Rupp. It’s something he says happened “spontaneously.” He’s been professionally surfing since he was 14, spending time competing in the World Tour until something changed. “It got to a point where I reached out to my sponsor and said I want to do the biggest waves in the world. They were a bit skeptical because anything you do that’s outside the norm is criticized, but I wanted to do it anyway.”