Watch: A 17-Year-Old Slab Wrangler's First Swing At Nazaré

“We’ve always tried to provide a platform for the young guns, the teenagers who are setting the bar and pushing that next generation,” Big Wave Challenge founder Bill Sharp said.

Believe it or not, Western Australian Ned Hart didn’t think he’d have his name called by Sharp in Nazaré last October. But at just 16 years old, Hart won the inaugural Young Gun award at the 2023 Big Wave Challenge. At the behest of Sharp, Hart and his parents flew to Portugal and were promptly surprised at the ceremony.

Now 17 years old with another year of slab surfing under his belt, Hart will surely have another crack at taking another award from the new-look Big Wave Challenge (or dipping his hand in the $150,000 prize pot). Above, Hart gets his feet wet in the straps at Nazaré for the first time. He's not old enough to drink an Australian tinny, but he's already adding to his diverse towing portfolio, which includes scroll-stopping waves at The Right, Red Beards and Shipstern Bluff.

The 2024 SURFER Big Wave Challenge will recognize the best performances of the year at an award ceremony at Nazaré in October. Finalists will be selected and announced in August for categories including Surfer of the Year, Ride of the Year, Biggest Paddle, Biggest Wave, and more. To view the entries and learn more, visit the BWC webpage.