<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The competition window for the World Surf League (WSL) 2024/2025 TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge officially opens today and will run through March 31, 2025. With the window now open, the best big wave surfers in the world are on standby to activate at a moment's notice for this exciting one-day, tow-in competition. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fans and extreme sports enthusiasts worldwide can catch every heart-pounding moment LIVE on Red Bull TV, with the broadcast also available on <a href="https://www.worldsurfleague.com/" target="_blank">WorldSurfLeague.com</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>World’s Best Big Wave Surfers on Standby to Take on Praia do Norte</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The WSL Commissioner’s Office will closely monitor the swells and conditions needed to run the TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge. Consistent surf with a minimum of 25 feet on the face of the wave throughout the competition and other conditions, such as wind and tide, will be assessed in the decision to run the competitions. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If a large swell tracks toward the contest location with favorable weather conditions, the WSL will issue a “TUDOR Big Wave Yellow Alert” as far as 72 hours out from the potential event run date. If the conditions continue to track favorably, the “TUDOR Big Wave Green Alert” will be issued, meaning the competition will be ON, and fans can prepare to watch surfers push the limits of what is possible on one of the world’s craziest waves in the next 24 hours. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge Tow-In Format Explained</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge will showcase the best of big wave surfing in the tow-in discipline at Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal. Praia do Norte is home to some of the biggest waves in the world, including the current Big Wave World Records, held by Maya Gabeira (BRA) and Sebastian Steudtner (GER). This one-day event will feature nine teams made up of two competitors in each team. The teams will be divided into three groups with three teams in each group. The competition will have a total of six 40-minute heats, where each group will participate in two heats, and each team will alternate between surfing and driving the team’s jet ski.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A surfer’s best two waves after both heats will count toward an individual total score, with the best wave counting as double points. In total, a surfer’s maximum individual score will be 30 points, as each wave is scored from 0.1-10 points. Surfers will be awarded across the following categories: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Men’s Best Performance: Male surfer with the highest 2 scoring waves</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Women’s Best Performance: Female surfer with the highest 2 scoring waves</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Best Team Performance: Total of best two scoring rides of both team riders</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge Invitees</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 1: Maya Gabeira (BRA) and Antonio Laureano (POR)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 2: Michelle des Bouillons (BRA) and Ian Cosenza (BRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 3: Justine Dupont (FRA) and Éric Rebière (BRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 4: Lucas ‘Chumbo’ Chianca (BRA) and Pedro ‘Scooby’ Vianna (BRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 5: Clement Roseyro (FRA) and Nic von Rupp (POR)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 6: Rodrigo Koxa (BRA) and Vitor Faria (BRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 7: Rafael Tapia (CHL) and Pierre Rollet (FRA)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 8: Kai Lenny (HAW) and Ian Walsh (HAW)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Team 9: Andrew Cotton (GBR) and Garrett McNamara (HAW)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge Invitees include the best male and female big wave surfers who have put in the time to prove themselves in the lineup at Praia do Norte. Current Big Wave World Record holder <strong>Maya Gabeira</strong> (BRA) has dedicated her life to surfing Nazaré and claimed her first win in 2022, and backed it up in 2023 when she won the Women’s Best Performance award. Gabeira teams up with Nazaré local <strong>António Laureano </strong>(POR) for the 2024/2025 edition.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Returning to Nazaré since 2022, but this time competing as a mother, <strong>Justine Dupont </strong>(FRA) has been training hard to be ready when the event is called on. Dupont will partner with Brazilian waterman <strong>Éric Rebière</strong>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lucas ‘Chumbo’ Chianca</strong> (BRA) and <strong>Pedro ‘Scooby’ Vianna</strong> (BRA) are reunited for the 2024/2025 Nazaré Big Wave Challenge after taking out the Best Team Performance last year. Known for pushing the limits and his progressive surfing in big waves, <strong>Kai Lenny </strong>(HAW) will partner with <strong>Ian Walsh </strong>(HAW). Nazaré pioneers <strong>Garret McNamara</strong> (HAW) and<strong> Andrew Cotton</strong> (GBR) team up once more, bringing their years of experience to the table. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Watch LIVE</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge will be broadcast LIVE on Red Bull TV, <a href="https://www.worldsurfleague.com/" target="_blank">WorldSurfLeague.com</a>, and the <a href="https://www.worldsurfleague.com/app" target="_blank">free WSL app</a>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 2024/2025 TUDOR Nazaré Big Wave Challenge is proudly supported by TUDOR and Red Bull. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information, please visit <a href="https://www.worldsurfleague.com/" target="_blank">WorldSurfLeague.com</a>.</div>