Thomas Traversa & Charlie Paris tackle the famous Nazaré surf spot
A winter storm chaser and world leader in big-wave windsurfing, Frenchman Thomas Traversa, equipped with his Concordia, sailed to the ultimate spot in Nazaré, where Europe's biggest waves form. A look back at this epic ride and a presentation of the limited-edition "Concordia Nazaré" watch we released for the occasion.
- Nazaré, the wave where records are broken
- Thomas Traversa, world reference in windsurfing in storms
- Concordia Nazaré, the watch for thrill seekers
1. Nazaré, the wave where world records are broken
Nazaré is a small fishing town of 15,000 inhabitants located in western Portugal, known for its giant waves that can reach 20 meters high. The secret to this spot's record-breaking performance? A 5 km-deep fault in the Atlantic Ocean that stops right in front of the Nazaré lighthouse, forcing the wave formed underwater to stop abruptly and return all its energy to the surface, creating gigantic waves.
This phenomenon has existed forever, but surfers were unaware of its existence until 2010, when the town hall sought to bring Nazaré to life in winter by alerting surfers to this potential spot. Nazaré has since been home to legendary waves, such as the 23m wave surfed by Garett McNamara in November 2011. Since then, wave records have been broken here. Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Kox, for example, broke the world record for the largest wave ever surfed in 2018. It was 24.38 metres high, the equivalent of a building about nine stories high.
The waves at Nazaré aren't known for being the most beautiful, but they are the biggest, most challenging, and most thrilling. This spot is tricky because, unlike traditional shallows that generate large waves offshore and can be bypassed on either side, here you have to choose the right wave, the one whose shape will allow you to escape before it closes.
Every winter, colossal waves arrive off the coast of Nazaré, and as expected, the "big waves" were indeed there this year! An exceptional spectacle, attended by extreme surfers. Among them, Thomas Traversa.
2. Thomas Traversa, world reference in storm windsurfing
This year, we teamed up with windsurfer Thomas Traversa to tackle Nazaré. In rough weather, with nearly 40 knots and 15-meter waves. It's a huge honor for our team to have such a champion as an ambassador for our young watch brand. PWA "wave" world champion in 2014, three-time champion of the legendary " Redbull Stormchase ," Thomas Traversa has established himself over the years as THE world reference in big-wave windsurfing. Beyond his titles, we believe Thomas Traversa is an extreme adventurer who achieves feats that only he and a few riders in the world are capable of.
3. Nazaré, the watch for thrill seekers
During this session, Thomas Traversa wore the " Concordia - Nazaré ", our limited edition designed for lovers of board sports and thrills. Designed and assembled in France, water-resistant to 300m thanks to its screw-down crown and caseback, the "Concordia Nazaré" presents an aesthetic that is as sporty as it is attractive. With its sharp and muscular style, its taut lines and its smoked blue dial, the "Concordia - Nazaré" displays a modern and sporty elegance. The indexes and hands of the watch are equipped with Super-Luminova® to allow optimal readability in the dark. The Super-luminova® is the same color as the center of the "smoked" blue dial. On the back of the watch is engraved the topographical map of the depths of Nazaré, this engraving allows a glimpse of the underwater canyon, located just in front of the famous spot of Nazaré and which explains the formation of these mythical waves. For the automatic version, it is SOPROD with its P024 movement that wins our trust to equip the watch. And for the quartz version, it is the "Sweep Second" VH31 movement from Seiko which has the particularity of having a second hand that beats 4 times per second. The watch case is made of 316L steel with polished, matte and brushed finishes. From an aesthetic point of view, 316L steel is a stainless steel whose shine lasts over time and does not tarnish. Its non-magnetic shielding meets the ISO764 standard. The unidirectional rotating bezel with 120 clicks for the automatic version is topped with an anodized aluminum disc.
The press is talking about it:
Thomas Traversa becomes the first person to windsurf Nazaré at size in port tack conditions - Windsurf Magazine
Windsurfer Thomas Traversa talks about the giant waves of Nazaré and how to survive them - Sailing and Sailboats
