Electric surfboard manufacturer Awake recently had the pleasure of hosting professional big-wave surfer Willyam Santana, as he put their high-performance electric surfboards to the test on some of the biggest waves in the world.
Willyam is a well-known surfer from Rio de Janeiro, who turned professional at the age of 18. He has been surfing big waves for the past few years and has made a name for himself as one of the few surfers to perform acrobatic maneuvers on giant waves.
The day that Willyam tried out the RÄVIK S electric surfboard in Nazare, the waves were a bit smaller than usual, but still up to 5 meters in height. This made for a perfect testing ground for Willyam since it was his second time ever on the board. The powerful waves of Nazaré also made it an ideal test for the durability and performance of the board.
As seen in the video, the RÄVIK S got tumbled in the white water and took some proper air time with hard slams back into the ocean. Since the board handled everything with ease and showed no signs of post-ride damage, the session was a true testament to the durability of the Awake products.
“We’re thrilled to have had Willyam try out our electric surfboards,” said Awake’s co-founder & Chief Innovator, Philip Werner. “His expertise and experience in big wave surfing meant hearing the positive feedback very valuable. Seeing the beating the board took in the waves and still performing flawlessly afterwards is just another confidence boost in what we do. “We look forward to seeing more surfers take on the waves with our electric surfboards.”
Lucas Brito, a passionate filmmaker based in Monaco, is behind the project. He spent a few months during the spring of 2023 following the life of several professional surfers in the hunt for the biggest waves in the world in Nazaré, Portugal.
What gear for a session in Nazaré?
Awake RÄVIK S Electric Surfboard
The Awake RÄVIK S is the most powerful and advanced electric surfboard, crafted for riders to challenge themselves like never before – pushing harder, jumping higher, turning sharper and riding faster. The robust construction and sharp design matched with the increased power and instant throttle response time of the RÄVIK S, giving the opportunity to our riders to send it bigger than ever and break the boundaries of electric surfing.
High torque combined with instant electronic response allows for perfectly timed accelerations, turns and tricks. With 0 to 50 km/h in less than 4 seconds.
The RÄVIK S is shaped to deliver fast, precise and controlled rides, the very complex hull features sharp water release and an aggressive rocker for a unique and intense riding experience.
Our linear jet system ensures strong and constant grip even in the choppiest waters, powering our riders in any conditions and tempting the highest jumps.
High performance and precision have been pushed to the highest level in all aspects of this electric surfboard.
About Willyam
Born in Aracaju/Sergipe, he has lived in Rio de Janeiro for ten years.
Will started competing at the age of 15 in his home state, where he stood out very quickly and turned professional at the age of 18! Still in his state, he was a professional surfer, and at 22 he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he started surfing big waves. In 2021 he went to Mexico, where he began his international Big Wave career. It was in Mexico that Will surfed a giant wave paddling in a historic swell, and in the same year, he went to Nazaré alongside world champion Lucas Chumbo. In Nazaré, Will made history when he tried to surf on a massive day when one of the biggest waves in the history of Big Surf hit his head. Despite the scare, that same year he surfed his first giant wave in Nazaré by tow-in, one of the biggest waves on the first swell of the year.
Today, Will has been standing out in Nazaré for being one of the few surfers to perform acrobatic maneuvers on giant waves, so he was featured in the Nazaré season in 2022/2023.
About Awake
Awake is the highest-performance Swedish jet electric surfboards and jet eFoils manufacturer based in Stockholm. Born from the dream of building the best possible boards that can be, Awake pursue their goal of breaking the boundaries while making access to the sport easier than ever for learners and intermediates.
