Nuno "Stru" Figueiredo has become the first kitesurfer to ride the big waves of Nazaré, in Portugal.
A kite will always be a kite. It can be the most helpful power source or your worst nightmare. The Portuguese coast is well-known for its wind spots and windy days, but Nazaré's Praia do Norte is usually surfers' territory.
Those times are over. First, it was Jason Polakow. The Australian charger rode his windsurfer on a giant, cloudy day at the local canyon wave. Now, "Stru" took his kite out on a pretty bumpy session.
Nuno Figueiredo is one of the best wave kiteboarders on the planet. He won national titles and showed off in a few international events. His shy persona has kept him out of the mainstream circuit, but the Portuguese rider is a standout name in the Best Kiteboarding team.
The footage captured by Jorge Leal reveals "Stru" riding his surfboard on multiple liquid monsters well over 30 feet (10 meters). He had already tasted the power of Praia do Norte in 2011, but this was something completely different.
"It was the most brutal day I have ever had. The explosions of this wave are the scariest things I've ever heard. I managed to become the first kitesurfer ever to ride the giant wave of Nazaré. Thank you, Sergio Cosme, for the jet ski support, and to Jorge Leal for his experience," said the kiteboarder from Porto.
Nuno "Stru" Figueiredo rode 9-meter kite, and he was able to sail away and off the beach break without any support.