By Milou Hoeft, Year 12
Who was Marcio Freire?
Marcio Freire was a Brazilian big wave surfer that passed away on the 5th of January 2023 tow-in surfing Nazaré in Portugal at 47 years old. He was one of the three “Mad Dogs” along with Danilo Couto and Yuri Soledade. They were the first to paddle the big and dangerous waves of Jaws in Hawaii. A documentary of their story was made in 2016 (trailer). It recounts how the three surfers “started surfing Jaws in 2006, without jet ski support, rescue teams, and life jackets” and how they “luckily survived to tell the story”. Marcio Freire had a significant impact on the surfing community on an international level. His love for the sport began at nine years old and he was able to pursue it up until the very last moment. For him it was more than just a sport, it was a passion. He did not do it for the money, for he said in an interview (podcast “Let’s Surf”) that he “never made a living from surfing” and that he could count the times he earned money from it on his fingers. In the same podcast, Marcio Freire also said “I really don’t care about chasing the big one. I’ve already done a lot of that in my life. I just want to keep surfing and always have the chance to catch those perfect waves.” To him, it was not necessarily about being the greatest and being well-known, but rather about doing what he loved and being able to pursue his passion. He did not feel the need to take part in competitions or other big surfing events.
How did it come to his death?
Marcio was in Nazaré, Portugal, which is a hotspot for surfers, as the waves are especially big there. The three biggest waves ever surfed in history were all in Nazaré, with the world record at 26.21 meters. These big waves form because of the huge Nazaré North Canyon located just off the coast. They are so difficult to surf because of their high speeds. In recent years tow-in surfing has become more common, which is when surfers are pulled out onto very fast waves, that they would not be able to catch by simply paddling, by using, for example, jet skis. While practicing this, Marcio fell and had to be brought back to shore, where he was already found to be in cardio-respiratory arrest. After several attempts to resuscitate him and the rescue team’s best efforts, he was pronounced dead. Marcio Freire was the first person to die surfing the Nazaré waves. There have of course been many surfers that have gotten seriously injured before, but he is the first to have passed away as a result.
Marcio Freire was greatly honored and will forever be remembered, which was clearly demonstrated through the many touching messages that surfers from all around the world shared. Another big wave surfer, Ian Walsch, saw him as a “true pioneer” and said that he “had an infectious happy energy and was a very special person. Every time you crossed paths with him your day was a lot better”. Nic von Rupp said: ”today I saw him surf all day in Nazaré with a huge smile. With that smile is how I’m going to remember him.” Many looked up to him as a hero, for he made the impossible possible.
Rest in peace Marcio Freire.
In Honour of Marcio Freire
