Nazaré. Leben und Tod der Big Wave Surfer: Mit Sebastian Steudtner, Maya Gabeira, Andrew Cotton, Nic von Rupp, Sérgio Cosme u.a.

by Matt Majendie

Das kleine Fischerdorf Nazaré an der portugiesischen Costa de Prata hat sich in den letzten Jahren zum Hotspot für die besten Surfer der Welt entwickelt. Hier riskieren Profis und Amateure fast täglich ihr Leben, um mit ihren Surfboards die ungeheure Brandung des Atlantiks zu bezwingen. 

Der Sportjournalist Matt Majendie verbringt in Nazaré eine Saison im inneren Kreis der Big-Wave-Surfer. Seine Geschichte folgt einer kleinen Gruppe von Spitzensurfern, darunter der deutsche Weltrekordhalter Sebastian Steudtner, der Portugiese Nic von Rupp, die brasilianische Starsurferin Maya Gabeira und der Jetski-Fahrer Sérgio Cosme, der wegen seiner waghalsigen Rettungsaktionen den Spitznamen "Schutzengel von Nazaré" trägt. Ihr unglaubliches den "Everest des Ozeans" zu reiten, die 100-Fuß-Welle …

Genres: Sports, Nonfiction

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2024

Reviews

[Eliza Hodges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Really interesting to learn about the struggles and in depth details of big wave surfers. At times the book was repetitive with its writing and stories, but all in all I was entertained and felt like I learned a lot! Will definitely be keeping up with big wave surfing now.

[Eline Desager · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first chapters were interesting but the amount of information that is repeated made it impossible to finish.

[Meana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read if you're into surfing or big wave surfing but the writing style is not my favorite. It's 300 pages of a sports chronicle and is not coherent through the book. It feels a little bit repetitive at times.

[Lisa Nazareth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this but found the writing trite and banal. No real insights here into the psychology of big wave surfing or even the science of big waves. I felt the author simply made friends with the surfers and wrote it up. Yawn. The best thing about this book is the photographs. There is a good book to be written about Nazare, but this isn’t it.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having visited Nazare out of surfing season. This book ensures my return to witness first hand the immense bravery and dedication of these young men and women, committed to this dangerous but thrilling sport.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - I really want to go to Nazaré now. It was good and definitely was very interesting but could be slow at times. I thought the insights into each surfer were amazing but it felt like a collection of amazing short stories not necessarily one single cohesive story.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight in to the minds of big wave surfers trying to catch the monster waves at Nazaré. Good to see the helpers such as the jet ski drivers/rescuers, mechanics, spotters and all the rest of the team getting recognition too. Not the best written book in style but still a good read.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look into the life of the people who risk there lives to catch the big waves, how Nazare became a big surf hot spot, and the dangers they face and the few that have to go out at all cost, an addiction.

[Noah Vass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting subject matter let down by a lack of cohesion. Just some normal sports writing with lots of adjectives and little humour, not my favorite style of writing at all.

[Hannah Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Sam Bunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes you feel like you’re living the incredible feats of these surfers. Loved the history and geographical info behind the giant wave and the town.

[Sonja van der Westhuizen | West Words · Rating 3 out of 5]

Until a few years ago, Nazaré, a small village on the coast of Portugal, was predominantly known for its fishing industry and, in summer, tourism. The first records of fishermen in Nazaré date back to 1643 and it has been steeped in this tradition ever since. For centuries Nazaré’s fishermen braved the dangerous ocean and some of the world’s largest waves to provide for their families. In 2010, a new breed of ocean dweller would flock to the Portuguese town’s shore: big wave surfers.

Full review on blog: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.co...

[Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got me into watching surfing and enjoyed the stories. Although there was a fair bit of repetition and felt like it might have been structured more clearly in places. But enjoyed the read.

[Daniel Sevitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was no Barbarian Days, but that is an impossible standard, surely. What we get instead is a tight focus on a single beach from the time of its discovery as potentially world-beating surf spot to the most recent season. We meet the people that nurtured the sport in the town of Nazaré and brought attention and some prosperity to a sleepy fishing village, and we meet the athletes who are compelled to risk their lives there, year after year chasing the wave that will make them whole while trying to avoid the one that will break them in two. Everyone here is a little bit nuts, but it's an inward-facing obsessive kind of nuttiness, that some people call "drive". I enjoyed spending time in their company even as I think each of them needs years of therapy. May they all stay safe.