A huge run of swell pounded continental Europe last week, and some of the world’s best big wave surfers were out in force at Portugal’s resident giant, Nazaré.
History was made with some incredible rides going down – not least of which Justine Dupont’s (possible) Guinness record-setter. But, as they say, behind every great ride is a highly competent jet ski driver and no scenario puts that truth in sharper relief than the above.
Exiting the shoulder after a mid-size wave (by Nazaré standards), Brazilian big wave charger Lucas “Chumbo” Chianca looks poised to take a wave on the head when his tow-partner Ian Cosenza swoops in on a ski as a huge wave looms in the background.
“Cosenza reaches Chumbo in a matter of seconds, Chumbo grabs the sled and they speed up to outrun the oncoming wave,” explains videographer Pedro Miranda, who filmed the ordeal. “Cosenza has to go full speed and needs critical control to avoid the bumps in the water that can easily flip the [ski].”
We watch as an avalanche of whitewater fully engulfs Chianca and Cosenza for a few heart-thumping seconds. Then suddenly, the two emerge and Cosenza adeptly navigates them to safety.
“When something like this happens it generally doesn’t end well, but incredibly and against all odds, Ian Cosenza saved the day successfully riding the jet ski out of the white water and putting them both out of harm’s way,” says Miranda.
Apparently, in this same session, two other jetskis were washed through by the giant surf and severely damaged.
