The World Surf League (WSL) Big Wave Tour (BWT) raised the green flag for the first, team-oriented big wave tow-in competition in the history of the organization.
The official WSL surf forecasters expect a series of XXL northwest swells heading toward Nazaré, and light offshore wind, resulting in 40-to 50-foot wave faces.
The new and unique big wave surfing format will feature 19 athletes – 17 men and two women – paired up in tow teams.
The Tow-In Surfing Format
The teams will surf in a four-hour expression session with no elimination stages or rules.
A rotating heat format and priority system will ensure that the five teams are in the water at all times.
Each team will have two, one-hour heats to tow each other into the giant waves of Nazaré.
Then, a nominating panel will analyze the waves caught and select the biggest, best-ridden waves as finalists.
At the end of the day, the top performances will be shown on a big screen, and each surfer will privately vote for his/her favorites.
The final voting tally will determine the champions, as judged by their elite, heavy-water peers.
Four trophies are at stake: Men’s Wave of the Day, Women’s Wave of the Day, Team Champions and, Commitment Award.
Nazaré, the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” is home to three Guinness World Records – men’s largest surfed wave, women’s biggest surfed wave, and largest kitesurfing wave.
2020 Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge | Surfers List
Group A | Heats 1 and 3
Team World: Sebastian Steudtner (DEU) / Maya Gabeira (BRA)
Team Europe: Nic von Rupp (PRT) / Francisco Porcella (ITA)
Team France: Benjamin Sanchis (FRA) / Eric Rebiere (FRA)
Team Australia: Ross Clarke-Jones (AUS) / Mick Corbett (AUS)
Team Atlantic: Grant Baker (ZAF) / Antonio Silva (PRT)
Group B | Heats 2 and 4
Team Portugal: Alex Botelho (PRT) / Hugo Vau (PRT)
Team Great Britain: Andrew Cotton (GBR) / Tom Butler (GBR)
Team Brazil: Rodrigo Koxa (BRA) / Pedro Scooby (BRA)
Team Young Bulls: Lucas Chianca (BRA) / Kai Lenny (HAW)
Team Justine: Justine Dupont (FRA) surfer only / Fred David driver only
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