Canary Islands Surfer Gets A Big Atlantic Right You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

Part of the goal of the 2024 SURFER Big Wave Challenge is to recognize the rides outside of the mainstays to which we’ve become accustomed. For this season, we’ve got entries from Morocco, Ireland, Brazil, South Africa and New South Wales.

Now we’ve got another from a place you probably haven’t heard of. It’s a large right called Ponta Brava on Cabo Verde, the volcanic archipelago off the coast of northwest Africa. The islands' total area spans about 1,500 square miles and is part of the Macaronesia region, along with the Azores, Canary Islands and Madeira.

Spanish charger Monchi La Santa, who hails from the Canaries, is a real fan of this powerful point, which faces all manner of Atlantic Ocean swells. The Canaries, by the way, have a low-key stacked team of good surfers like La Santa, Laura Coviella and Manuel Lezcano Cruz.

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Apparently the locals called this session at Ponta Brava “Big Wednesday,” so Monchi brought out the big guns. He rode a 9’2” Peace Keeper designed by Eric Arakawa and built in the Canaries by La Santa Surfboards, which is licensed to build the esteemed Hawaiian shaper’s boards (they also work with Dylan Longbottom and Timmy Patterson).

Here’s Arakawa’s description of that formidable blade: These are the guns made for giants. Designed to glide in and maneuver out of trouble. They are dependable and proven performers in the most extreme conditions on the planet. Do not own one unless you plan to use it.”