With HBO’s “100 Foot Wave,” a documentary series that truly lives up to its name in every aspect, we gain a genuine, previously unheard-of perspective on both the sport and the passion of surfing. After all, it centres mostly on big-wave pioneer Garrett McNamara and his illustrious contemporaries as they relentlessly push the limits of their extreme, adrenaline-fueled athletics. Antonio “Tony” Laureano, a young man, was one of those who as a result appeared in season 2. If you’re interested in learning more about him and his current situation, we’ve got the information for you.
Who is Antonio “Tony” Laureano?
When Tony was just four or five years old, he initially became interested in surfing after watching his father ride the consistently amazing waves at Nazaré in Leiria, Portugal. This was back in 2007. As a result, he essentially spent his childhood surrounded by enormous white waves, which had a profound impact on his artistic, athletic, physical, and cerebral development as well as his ability to fall in love. The Brazilian native freely admitted, in the Chris Smith-directed production, “I’m not from Nazaré, but I spent all my childhood here [in this Portuguese town], and now it’s my home.”
When Tony first saw Garrett McNamara ride a wave in front of him, he was actually six years old. Inadvertently, this realisation made Tony decide he wanted to surf for the rest of his life as well. In the documentary series, he declared, “I want to live off of surfing.” For reasons of safety, rescue, and education, “I was saying to my father, ‘Oh yeah, I want to be like Garrett,’ so he decided to be my jet ski driver. Ramon Nilson Laureano, who has always been incredibly encouraging, is now a qualified big wave safety instructor, water patrolman, surfboard shaper, pilot, and rescuer.
In the original, Tony said, “I started by surfing just like smaller waves, around three or four metres,” to give us some context. “At the time, this was already significant to me, but I was also observing some of the best big wave surfers in the world arrive and ride the wave that is right outside my back door. I was a teenager and thought, “Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry, The performances merely got better and better every season… But as of right now, I’m an adult. My waves are becoming fairly large now, too. Currently, when we discuss Nazaré, we say something like: Nazaré, Garrett. Nazaré, Tony, is what I want to be remembered for.
In actuality, Tony is already well on his way to attaining this ambition because he has managed to amaze his idol by virtually leaving him behind while simultaneously making a name for himself in the profession. On October 29, 2020, the 18-year-old actually rode a 101.4-foot wave successfully in Portugal, right at the start of the season after Hurricane Epsilon’s threat had passed. The youngster was more than prepared for it thanks to his years of practise, enthusiasm, and dedication; he could not pass up the chance even though it was unexpected, upsetting, and frightening.
Tony once remarked, “Adrenaline, happiness, and fear — all together,” before clarifying that he transmitted a video of this incident to an outside organisation for measurement rather than the World Surf League (WSL). “When I finally kicked out, I looked behind me and noticed a huge wave. People screaming and cheering could be heard. I only realised how big that wave was until I had begun to ride it. However, I didn’t realise what I had done until I was kicked out. However, he feels that his career as a sportsman is only just getting started because he and his friends still have a lot of work to do.
Where is Antonio “Tony” Laureano Now?
Even though Tony has been sailing since he was a little child, he never takes any potential risk lightly and even plans for worst-case scenarios or eventualities along the journey. He chose to exercise frequently before deciding to forego additional education in order to concentrate completely on his aspirations because he is aware that practise is essential for large wave surfers. He once remarked that “fear is essential for a big wave surfer.” “Because we remain more concentrated and aware of what could actually happen, and we are prepared for it. It’s really risky, and if we are not ready, we could perish.
Even knowing that the sport he has decided to devote his life to is costly has made Tony appreciate the efforts his parents, Susana and Ramon, have made for him even more. In return, he nearly acts like a prodigy who is currently soaring in every sense of the word. From competing to working with companies to riding high, he seems to be doing it all.
The short film “Trust Your Vision” by Luis de Sá has clips from some of his most recent best surfing, including clips from his nearly faultless surfs in both Nazaré and Chile. Additionally, the young person frequently uses his platform to share the reason why and how everyone should care more about the environment, gaining him the reputation of being an example for newcomers.
