In the Magazine: Justine Dupont on the Collision of Big-Wave Surfing and Motherhood

This piece is excerpted from the feature "Unridden Realm Redux" with Justine Dupont in the new print issue of SURFER. Order your copy here .

As the number of women riding big waves in- creases, the potential is incredible. In fact, the sport is evolving so fast that the level of safety is struggling to keep up. Now the safety, be it the drivers, the spotters, pick-ups, first aid, it has all improved dramatically, but ideally, it matches the pace of the surfing. That’s the challenge.

I think Nazaré has been really important in big-wave surfing. It’s such an incredible community of people who have dedicated their lives to big-wave surfing. Having recently had my first baby, I’ve had some time out of the water and now I’m so excited about getting back to doing what I love. Being a mother has helped me to be more organized, prepared and hopefully more efficient. Next winter my main goal will be to draw great lines on a proper big wave at Nazaré.

My approach hasn’t changed since I started. I want to keep having fun, surfing big waves and learning about myself. I love to share these amazing big-wave experiences with great people all over the world. I am also still looking for a dream paddle wave at Jaws and other spots like Shipsterns and places in Chile, Peru and Ireland. So, there is loads to see and achieve, but we have a lot of time ahead of us.

Related: In the Magazine: Deconstructing the Big-Wave Journey With Laura Enever

Related: In the Magazine: What Is Big-Wave Surfing Today According to Nic Von Rupp