The Iron-Willed Pride Of Praia Grande

If you’ve found yourself in Puerto, Punta Lobos, or the Nazare cliffs at dawn during pumping XXL swells in recent years, chances are you’ve encountered João de Macedo, Praia Grande, Portugal’s blue-collar, globetrotting charger. 

Handsome and hardened, while at home João can be seen bouncing between his home near Sintra, and the shallow, ledgy rock reefs near Lisbon, bombing through the hills chasing waves with his prodigy and best mate, Nic Von Rupp, in a dinged up hatchback, broken and battered equipment stacked in the back. 

While João’s enjoyed a few moments on the world’s big wave stage over the years, he’s been instrumental training Portugal’s next generation of big wave surfers, all looking to put themselves on the map with the perennial focus these days on Nazare. João also was a huge part of helping develop the International Surfing Reserves, off Madeira and now in Ericeira. This year João earned a spot on the WSL Big Wave Tour, though he had trouble finding the opportunities he’d liked during the year.

Hit play on the link above, for a Vimeo Staff Pick profile on the Portuguese welterweight.