Itacoatiara Big-Wave Show Gets the Green Light for August 25
The Itacoatiara Big Wave event gets approval for August 25 in Brazil, with a powerful Atlantic swell forecast and top tow-in surfers set to compete.
Brazil’s Itacoatiara beach is preparing for another test of elite tow-in surfing after organizers approved the seventh edition of the Itacoatiara Big Wave event. The competition is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25, as a powerful Atlantic swell is forecast to bring waves exceeding three meters to the Rio de Janeiro coastline.
Key takeaways
- The seventh Itacoatiara Big Wave event is set for August 25.
- Organizers expect a swell of about 10 feet at a 14-second interval.
- Lucas Chumbo and Pedro Scooby return as defending winners.
- The contest is held entirely in the tow-in format.
- Competition is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m.
The approval comes as a major storm system rounds the southern tip of South America and moves into the Atlantic. Its projected swell is expected to produce the powerful, organized surf required for the event, which operates within a July-to-September waiting period.
A demanding Brazilian venue
Itacoatiara, located in Niteroi on the eastern side of Guanabara Bay, is known for heavy beachbreak waves and difficult conditions. The beach is framed by granite formations and features a hazardous backwash slab known as “Shock,” adding to the risks faced by competitors and their support teams.
The venue’s combination of shifting sand, strong currents and powerful rebound makes precise timing essential. Tow-in surfing allows athletes to enter waves that can be too fast or too large to catch through conventional paddling, but it also places greater demands on coordination between surfers and drivers.
Defending champions headline the field
Lucas Chumbo and Pedro Scooby, winners of the 2025 event, are among the leading invitees for this year’s competition. The field also includes Michelle des Bouillons and Ian Cosenza, who claimed the mixed-gender title in 2025.
Other named competitors include Michaela Fregonese, Gabriel Sampaio, Willyam Santana, Dominique Charrier, Dylan Longbottom and Summa Longbottom. Their participation gives the event an international profile while maintaining a strong connection to Brazil’s big-wave community.
Forecast will determine the spectacle
The forecast calls for swell heights near 10 feet at 14 seconds, with waves potentially rising above three meters. Those conditions could create one of Latin America’s most significant big-wave contests, provided the swell arrives with the predicted power and direction.
Because the event is run exclusively in the tow-in discipline, the competition will focus on wave selection, speed, line choice and teamwork rather than a traditional paddle-in heat format. Organizers are scheduled to start the action at 7 a.m., when conditions are expected to be closely monitored for safety and quality.