Felipe Cesarano’s Big-Wave Resume
At 38, Rio de Janeiro’s Felipe Cesarano has faced some of the world’s heaviest surf. From Teahupo’o’s Code Red barrels in 2011 to Jaws’ relentless power, and Brazil’s Shock phenomenon, he’s mastered near-impossible waves. Yet Nazaré’s monstrous left-hand walls remain the ultimate test.
Inside Rail Failure Sends Surfer Racing for Survival
During a recent Above Creators Big Wave Challenge session at Praia do Norte, Cesarano dropped into a towering Nazaré left. Traveling at high speed, he couldn’t lock in his inside rail, sending him straight into the wave’s rapidly deepening trough. With the lip crashing directly behind him, every millisecond counted.
Miraculous Escape from Cascading Lip
As the wall closed in, Cesarano accelerated down the face and somehow edged just ahead of the cascading lip. Multiple camera angles show him narrowly avoiding a wipeout that could have been nominated for “Wipeout of the Year.” His lightning reaction and split-second timing transformed disaster into triumph.
Nazaré’s Unforgiving Reputation
Nazaré’s waves aren’t just big—they’re extraordinarily unpredictable. A single rail slip can mean being buried under tons of water within seconds. While Cesarano once took a brutal pancake smash on Nazaré’s left side a few winters ago, this near-miss underscores both the danger and the allure that draws elite big-wave surfers back time and again.
Felipe Cesarano, Still Charging After All These Years
Despite this close call, Cesarano remains undeterred. His ability to navigate successive near-death scenarios at giant breaks from Tahiti to Portugal cements his status as one of big-wave surfing’s most fearless competitors. As long as Nazaré’s waves continue to rise, surfers like Cesarano will be there—defying the odds and reminding us why big-wave riding is the ultimate pursuit.