Vinni IN Nazaré

Mario Nardy

VINN

NA IN ZARÉ

Up Suping Vito Marques . Above Creators . Ana Catarina . Mario Nardy

We have great memories of the interview we did with you back in 2015 in our Up#12 mag. But now we will talk about a great trip you did at the end of last year. How did the idea of going to Portugal come about?

I was always excited about big waves when I was little I always dreamed of surfing Jaws in Hawaii (I still think about doing it), but with Nazaré on the big wave scene, I started to want to surf there! It also helped a lot that there is a very large community of Brazilians who surf in Nazaré from the beginning, and I have a good relationship with many of them.

Ana Catarina

Have you had complications entering Portugal due to Covid-19? How have you organized yourself with the material for the trip?

The truth is that I planned to go surfing in Nazaré from January 2021, but I had to delay the trip many times… But once it went ahead, the trip was relatively easy. I have made a couple of other trips since the pandemic began and where there was much “chaos”, in the end, this was one of the calmest. Or maybe I’m already getting used to the thousands of tests that one has to do and the papers that you need to fill out (laughs).

With the material, the truth is that the people at JP have helped me a lot and when I arrived in Portugal I already had my boards, paddles, foils, etc. Everything there ready! Thousands of thanks to the people at the office in Munich!

Nazaré, a sacred place for all surfers. Tell us what you have felt in each surfed wave. Stunning photos and videos!

Sure! Nazaré is a magical place and there you remember every day how small we are close to the force of nature. I will never forget the first really GIANT day that I have been in the water there, the feeling is that I had entered Olympus…and the waves that marched in front of me were the Gods and the Titans!

While surfing the waves, I tried to concentrate as much as possible to keep my emotions more or less “controlled” and focus on what I had to do. But in many moments I couldn’t (laughs) I still have a lot to learn from this site.

Is it very difficult to ride such big waves with SUP and Foil? Have you prepared especially for a sea with such force?

There were days when everything went very well and calmly. And other days when even catching a wave seemed impossible! I had already trained a lot on the biggest days of the year in Brazil, which has helped me, but Nazaré is very different. It’s all on another scale!

What was the wave session that you will never forget among all the days you have been there?

The first giant day that I have been in the water that I have spoken about (El Olimpo). It has marked me a lot, I had a lot of difficulty catching waves this day, but what I have seen was super impressive. There was also a day that I surfed the best SUP waves of the trip, the day was beautiful, the big blue waves...everything went very well!

Vito Marques

Have you had logistical support both in and out of the water?

Yes! Nothing is done alone in Nazaré, the only chance a human has in these conditions is if they work as a team. I was very lucky to have the help of my great friend Gabriel Sampaio who is one of the best big wave surfers of the new generation in Brazil and also an excellent jet ski pilot. He travels to Nazaré every year, he has been there for 5 years and already has a lot of experience there!

What material have you used to perform at your best, both on SUP and Foil?

With SUP I have used a custom JP SUP Surf 8’6 x 23’5 that I made together with Werner the JP shaper, but we have learned that for these waves I need an even bigger board and we have already started making a 9’8 for the next season. In foil, I have used a JP Foil Prone 4.5 that has worked perfectly with a Kite Race 625cm2 foil.

Above Creators

Ana Catarina

Have you been able to enjoy the Nazare area? What did you think of all that wonderful place?

Luckily yes! I have been in Nazaré for more than a month and I had time to get to know a lot about the local culture, do many nice “hikes” around Nazaré, get to know the beautiful cities that are nearby as Óbidos, Peniche, Ericeira, etc. And of course, enjoy a lot of portuguese food! I’ve even gained a few extra pounds (laughs).

Before finishing, tell us about your new Foil school in Búzios.

Along with all the intensity of the trip to Nazaré, I was also starting a new project together with my brother, who is a Foil, SUP and Kite school here in my hometown of Buzios, close to Rio de Janeiro. It is a new challenge for me to have my own business, I am sure there is a lot to learn, but I am loving sharing the sports that I love with other people, and seeing how happy people are when they enjoy the sea. It motivates me a lot!

Friend, we wish you much success in 2022 and we hope to see you very soon!

Thank you very much Up Suping! I loved talking about this trip with you and it is always a pleasure to have a space in the magazine.