Meet the Big Wave Women of Nazaré (Video)

Over the past decade and change, the realm of big wave surfing has seen a gravitational shift towards Europe and, particularly, Nazaré, Portugal. It’s now ground zero for the world’s largest, heaviest, scariest waves–and surfers are flocking to tame the beast.

In his latest edit, big wave documenter Tim Bonython chronicles three women – Katie McConnell, Polly Ralda, and Michaela Fregonese – in their quest to conquer Nazaré. It’s a departure from Bonython’s typical fare, as this isn’t just a high-octane heavy water edit; instead, he interviews the women, charts their journeys, and goes behind-the-scenes.

Bonython explains:

“This story takes it all back to a couple of young ladies. Really gutsy, lots of courage…three young ladies trying to surf, paddle, and tow into the world’s biggest waves. It’s takes a few years to get your head around it, but these girls are starting to do that. It’s not easy; it’s an incredible story about courage, perseverance, and I hope you enjoy this edit.”

Coupled with surf footage, the edit highlights how these women came to Nazaré, the struggles they’ve had in figuring out the spot, and the highlights they’ve experienced, too, at the biggest wave on earth.

“Sometimes when I see the black lines on the horizon, I’ll just move out [of the way]," says McConnell, who's also a marine biologist and recently won the Thriller at Killers contest. "Sometimes you see them, then they disappear. Sometimes they appear out of nowhere, and it’s already too late. When that happens, then it’s like the quicker I can just accept my fate that I’m gonna take a big A-frame on the head, the easier it becomes.”

Nazaré may have gone quiet for the spring and summer months, but once it reawakens again come fall and winter, keep an eye on these women.