watch the fliteboard eFoil conquer the giant waves of nazare in portugal

fliteboard v nazare: Glyn ovens and Tom court take on the big challenge in portugal 

Glyn Ovens from Wales, UK, bases himself at Nazare, Portugal, during winter. An accomplished waterman in multiple disciplines, Glyn has a drive for riding the biggest waves possible each season. Tom Court is also an experienced waterman from the Isle of Wight, UK. The two got together with their passion for hydrofoil watercrafts, and after a long time of planning, their project in Portugal kicked off — to be the first ones to ride the giant waves of Nazare on a Fliteboard.

The idea had been in the making for a while, with many parts to consider — the team, and mostly Glyn, having done a lot of groundwork from lining up the equipment, organizing skis, drivers, filmers, boards, foils, and finally, the forecast. 

Glyn is the recognized hydrofoiler who rides Nazare on most swells. With his background of knowledge and all the elements needed to ensure safety on the water, he steered the call on the best conditions and ultimately decided which forecast the team would fly on. 

Tom is the current eFoil race champion. He has experience pushing Fliteboards (see more here) to their maximum speeds, making him ready to go fast. However, he takes on vertical waters this time, changing the game and opening up exciting questions about how these boards would perform and what setup, wings, and shims would best handle these extreme conditions. 

The objective was to push the possibilities of what sized waves could be ridden on an eFoil and further refine the performance of Fliteboards in such settings. The team’s conditions were ‘the best of the whole season, so far‘. No wind, clear skies and a perfectly lined up big swell.

testing out 15-meter-high waves with steady control 

Tom flew from the UK to Portugal to get himself ready for the days ahead. The team had a couple of warm-up sessions before the swell arrived. Waves of this size have huge consequences for riders and equipment. Everything had to be checked and prepared, every detail covered. But on the big day, the guys felt at home while riding the 15-meter high waves crashing against the cliffs. 

‘Once you were on the board, you had to control the ride, speed, and judge the ocean, set waves, position in the line-up, and make sure you are in the right spot. Making all the decisions yourself, as in the end, you are alone out there if it all goes wrong’, the team says. 

The duo used the Race Wing setup, True Glide prop, Fliteboard PRO, and Flite Impact Vest. With the introduction of some new negative shims to handle speed and acceleration more easily, using the -1 shim on the rear race wing helped them feel more in control. 

project info:

name: Fliteboard v Nazare

location: Nazare, Portugal 
watercraft model: Fliteboard eFoil

wave riders: Glyn Ovens and Tom Court

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom