Air Nazaré

Ever since I first saw a Fliteboard, I knew they had potential. Hydrofoiling in general has revolutionized how we use the ocean, across so many aspects, I think this project really proves that it is possible to make these boards perform not just in ordinary situations but in the most extreme environments. This could lead to all sorts of innovation, enabling some of the most incredible sessions, just you and the elements, without jet skis, riding ocean swells… the vision is just starting to come into view!

PHOTO: João Pedro Cordeiro

PHOTO: Vitor Faneca Estrelinha

Glyn Ovens

PHOTO: João Pedro Cordeiro

Tom and I have been getting up to mischief for several years on various water-based projects. We love coming up with new adventure ideas together and this is how we pass our evenings when hanging out. Our shared passion for foiling led us down the path with Fliteboard, and before we knew it, we were standing in Nazaré harbor, giant waves pounding the iconic lighthouse cliff, Fliteboard under arm… We were really going to do this.

Warm-ups, training days… I knew if Tom could manage his nerves, being less familiar with the place, he would be able to charge it, so the first few days were all about getting him accustomed to power, energy, and the general feel of the place… getting as many waves under his belt as possible, and a few smashings too…

Myself and my good friend/safety driver/waterman Nuno Santos have been building and improving our base in Nazaré over the last eight years, pushing ourselves further with foiling as well as some other ‘interesting' craft we’ve toyed with, but whilst using ‘traditional' tow-in as a propulsion mechanism. We have been lucky enough to have some amazing guidance over the years too from key foilers from around the world, and this has given us the tools to be able to attempt things like this. We had never seen this before in Nazaré, but felt it was possible using the correct equipment, set up correctly, on the right day and with all the stars aligning… not a lot to ask, right?!

To ride a Fliteboard e-foil in these waves was a unique challenge, which came with a myriad of unknowns and new ways to get in trouble. Music to my ears. Taking a concept that was born out of calm waters and small waves and putting it in front of the wild Atlantic behemoth that is Nazaré was always going to be interesting.

Taking turns to ride waves and then digest what had just happened whilst sitting on the ski with Nuno – it was a surreal experience of elation, having just ridden some huge slices, the relief to be back on the ski, but also the froth to get back out on some more waves. We were forever checking in with each other: “Sick wave! How much battery is left?”. It was froth and fear, blended together perfectly. 

Nazaré and this new level of big wave surfing is so intertwined in teamwork, that it is impossible to even consider attempting anything without it. A team should consist of – first and foremost – good people, people who are trustworthy, constant and with a tempered mind, humble (rare in the big wave world). All this can be easily overlooked, as the focus can be skewed to their surfing ability alone. It’s simple – we all go out there together, we all come back together. Riding the wave is just the pinnacle of all that groundwork and teamwork.

We were fortunate to have had no ‘mechanicals' during the session, and we never ran out of battery. The gear was really robust and predictable, even at the higher speeds. The True Glide prop definitely made the difference at the top speeds, as the insane amount of wave energy peaked, the glide remained even. We were also very glad to not lose any gear either, despite having backups of everything. Ourselves and the team at Fliteboard had left nothing to chance.

I enjoy the journey of learning a new discipline. The trade-off is you appear to be terrible at it in the beginning, but the improvement process is addictive. There are definitely gains that you wouldn't achieve in an individual sport alone that you get from crossing over into these other disciplines…  

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