Chumbo Goes Right at Cartoonishly Big Nazaré

The anecdotal and results-based evidence is clear: There can be little doubt Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca is the most tapped surfer to strap into Nazaré.

Between his individual and team victories, Chianca has stood on the top of the podium five times (and three straight years) at the TUDOR Nazaré Challenge. From the biggest, baddest peaks to more “modest” 20-footers, the 29-year-old Brazilian stands above the rest. He’ll do legit carves, airs and pull into whatever comes his way. If he were a regularfoot, he’d probably be towing with Jaws and Mavericks in the same manner Kai Lenny does.

While Chumbo is committed to hurling himself into waves or peril, in recent years he’s doing it while being a loving father to his two young children. His daughter, Maitê, was born in 2022, while his son Zion followed shortly afterward in 2023. In the 2024 Red Bull film Chumbo: Made For Big Wave Surfing , he opens up about the start of his young family, calling the birth of his daughter a profound, life-changing experience.

“It was insane. It was the best feeling in my life,” he said. “Better than any wave, better than any swell, better than the biggest, the best, the longest wave of my life.

The first time I realized that I had changed was when I went to Tahiti after Maitê was born. That was my first trip as a dad, and my first swell as a big wave surfer and a dad. As a dad right now, I want to give 200%, go [to competitions] and come back home.”

His family may be helping Chumbo into career-best form. Chumbo had an extremely productive season at Nazaré, bagging numerous 2024 SURFER Big Wave Challenge entries during an active Portuguese winter. This one embedded above might be his biggest. It came through during his heat during the Gigantes de Nazaré, a made-for-TV event in February.

Chumbo’s read on the wave is impressive. Outrageously big, he waits for it to develop by going straight to the bottom, then does an elongated bottom turn and carves into the pocket. It’s the kind of unique athleticism and guts we’ve come to expect from Chumbo, and hope to continue seeing for years to come.

Related: Video: The World's Best Tow Surfers, Kai Lenny and Lucas Chianca

Related: Watch: Lucas Chianca Makes the Impossible Look Easy