EP 254: Nic von Rupp – From Nazaré to The Eddie, QS Days, His pioneers and peers in big wave surfing, German/Swiss/Portuguese upbringing, State of the industry, Should we pay groms?, and Von Froth

Nic von Rupp joins The Lineup with Dave Prodan as he prepares for another Big Wave season, coming off one where he earned the 2025 Best Team Performance Award and added to his growing legend as one of big wave surfing’s most complete athletes. Calling in from home after a ten-foot barrel session, Nic reflects on how far his country and his career have come. From an era when it was “unthinkable” to be a professional surfer from Portugal to now representing his nation at The Eddie Aikau Invitational, Nic shares how Nazaré transformed not only global big wave surfing, but the identity of an entire coastline. He dives deep into his path from Nike and Monster-sponsored competitor to free surfer and filmmaker, why he walked away from chasing jerseys, and how the “Von Froth” persona came to life. Nic talks about chasing barrels at Mavericks and Jaws, pioneering sessions with Tom Lowe, and how his background in competition taught him the consistency and discipline to handle big days at home. Together with Dave, Nic discusses the state of the surf industry – from the rise of athlete-driven content to the decline of traditional surf sponsorship – and what he thinks the next generation of pros really needs. He also opens up about his creative process, balancing the froth with perspective, and how staying healthy and curious keeps him charging forward.

Follow Nic here and watch his YouTube series Von Froth here.

Check his podcast Von Froth Cast here!

Learn more about his big wave project Mountains of the Sea and follow them here.

Stay tuned to the next stop on the Longboard Tour, the Surf Abu Dhabi Longboard Classic, Oct 24 - 26.

Big Wave Season window starts November 1st, 2025 - March 31st, 2026.

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