NATXO GONZALEZ - NATXO GONZALEZ · following the storm

N A T X O G O N Z A L E Z
· F O L L O W I N G T H E S T O R M ·

LAST 5 WINS

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crossing borders

Once again, Kepa Acero, Natxo Gonzalez and Aritz Aranburu venture out in search of a perfect wave found on google earth... Una vez mas Kepa Acero, Natxo Gonzalez y Aritz Aranburu se aventuran a buscar una ola perfecta en África, encontrada en google earth...
FILM AND EDIT BY Jon Aspuru ‪
INTERVIEWS BY Nacho Susaeta

LA ISLA DE LOS TIGRES

La isla de los tigres es un documental filmado en Angola, 3 de los surfistas más conocidos de Europa se embarcan en una aventura de un mes a uno de los lugares más recónditos del planeta tierra. En su búsqueda de la ola perfecta, descubren que para llegar a la isla donde supuestamente se puede encontrar la ola perfecta, tendrán que atravesar la conocida zona de la muerte, un sitio tenebroso donde el viaje coge un rumbo inesperado.

best waves from last winter

It's rare that you find a surfer with as diverse a skillset as Natxo Gonzalez. There are high performance rippers, there are chargers, and then there's Natxo, who has beaten his own path from the start. Not happy to just be one of the world’s best big wave surfers, the young Basqueman stars at point breaks and beach breaks across the seven seas, or so it seems from the outside. In My Last Two Winters, Red Bull Surfing’s latest big wave series, we take a look inside the minds of some of big wave surfing’s leaders, and in this first edit that means exploring all things Natxo. If there’s a XXL swell on the charts you can guarantee that no matter where Natxo is in the world he’s plotting a way to intercept it, from pumping Mundaka in Spain to heaving Puerto Escondido in Mexico, and from the wilds of Africa to Portugal’s own Nazaré. It’s not always comfortable but it’s raw and it’s real, and that’s all that matters. Press play above to meet Natxo now, you’re gonna love him

MUNDAKA SESSIONS 2022

Mundaka: Any reeling tube hound's dream wave. If you've ever been able to chance into a perfect swell at the infamous firing left, you're lucky to have snagged a wave of your own. Natxo Gonzalez and company scored at the Basque country standout spot in the locally claimed 'season opener' and packed the best highlights together for five minutes of pure tube riding bliss. Dive in now and enjoy the latest installment of SESSIONS: let the mindsurfing begin!

getaway to morocco

Getaway To Moroco | Film and edit by Jon Aspuru @jonbakio Surfer Natxo Gonzalez @natxogonzalez1 Other Surfers Samir Larzhal @Samirlarzhal, Ramzi Boukhiam @ramziboukhiam, Noa Mizuno @noamizuno, Guillermo Barandiaran Additional footage Christian Edwards @thechristianedwards

gaztelugatxe

No, this is not Dragon Stone of The Game of Thrones, this is GAZTELUGATXE. It's an islet on the coast of Biscay in the Basque Country between Bakio and Bermeo. It's connected to the mainland by a human-made stone bridge and 241 stairs. On the top of the island it stands a 10th century hermitage, named Gaztelugatxe (in Basque “Gaztelu” means Castle, and “Atx” means rock; forming the rock castle). The hermitage houses votive offerings from sailors who survived shipwrecks…

The arrantzales (fishermen in Basque) of Bermeo have a great tradition that they must fulfill before going out to fish in search of Bonito (a kind of local Tuna). The fishing boats flock to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe to make several turns to port and starboard of the islet to get the saint blessing, so they can come back home safely and with good loot.

As fisherman and seaman, I love and respect that magic place.

MADE IN BASQUE COUNTRY

The folks at Red Bull have composed yet another beautifully shot and evocative documentary series, “Made In.” This particular 3-part installment focuses on the exotic culture, dazzling landscape and unique surf scene of the Basque Country of Spain through the scope of its most talented and ubiquitous big-wave surfer, Natxo Gonzalez.

Complete with spellbinding imagery of world-class Basque Country waves and interviews with those who know Natxo best — like Big Wave World Champion Grant “Twiggy” Baker, for instance —filmmaker Jon Aspuru follows Natxo through his native land to get his message across.

DIRECTED BY: Jon Aspuru
PRODUCER: Friday , Redbull Media House
Helge Zirkl, James Davidson, Borja Irastorza, Andrew Lewis, Chris Binns, Tobias Jaschinski, Sarah Huettepoh
FILMED BY: Isio Noya, Jorge Lekunberri, Juan Fernandez, Mitxel Andreu, Ritxi Goya, Unai Borda
WATER PATROL: Jon Irigoyen, Alex Laurell, Jesus “GIS” Suarez
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Gorka Ezkurdia, Joseba Larri, Mitxel Andreu
STARRING: Natxo Gonzalez, Imanol Yeregi, Kepa Acero, Aritz Aranburu, Aritza Saratxaga, Zumo, Adrian Fdz Valderrama, Marcos Azpiroz, Adur Letamendia, Axel Lorentz, Mikel Urigoitia, Jupa Soler, Craig Sage, Alazne Iglesias, Clovis Donizetti, Twiggy Baker, Ladis Galarza III, Eneko Arguiñano, Unai Arriola, Arkote Arraun Taldea, Ramon Navarro
THANKS TO: Xabi Sanchez, training and support, Ainara Aymat, Keoni Lasa, Arguiñano, Jon Martinez / Delicatessen Lagun
Rude Local Crew / The Slab, Izustarri (Roka Puta) locals, Meñakoz locals, Mundaka locals

hungry

fINDING THE BARREL

Right after the Hope Island adventure, Kepa and Natxo decided it was time to pull the plug and head somewhere more dependable (Aritz had to split for other career obligations). They beelined it to Indo. It took them a couple of days to zero in on a spot, but again, they commandeered a fishing boat and found themselves staring at a wave they really didn’t want to ride.
Remote, heavy and shallow, Kepa and Natxo decided to paddle out against their better judgment.
“We should have had helmets. I’ve heard stories of guys surfing this spot wearing motorcycle leathers because the reef just tears you up,” Kepa explained. “Neither of us felt comfortable out there, even wearing fullsuits, but we’d come so far.”

from nazare to peahi

This clip filmed and edited by Jon Aspuru (@jonbakio) doesn’t need much explanation.
It tells the emotional story of Natxo Gonzalez’ first two events on the 2018 / 2019 WSL Big Wave World Tour.
From his perfect 10 at Nazaré to traveling home in pain after Jaws.

NEVER LOSE HOPE

A thrilling story, which begins in the search for the best waves in the world, and ends in one of the greatest experiences of their lives. Failure is the key to success.

a dream to share

a dream come true.

This is the story of a young man who started with the classic surfing career. After Surfing his first big waves and pulling into big barrel and through the inspiration that is his good friend Kepa Acero, he found his passion for the exploration and the discovery.
Four years ago he found an area on google maps that looked like it had great potential. After waiting for a long time the charts finally revealed a swell that was traveling thousands of kilometres across the ocean and he knew that this was his opportunity.
Arriving in the fading light of the first day, the waves were small but looked perfect. But doubts remained: was the wave too fast? The next day all questions were answered, all the dreams and expectations were about to come real...
A film by jonaspuru.com Jon Aspuru (@jonbakio)

Natxo Gonzalez & Indar Unanue travel to Ireland to face the most cold, dark and big waves of the north hemisphere swell season.
Starring: Natxo Gonzalez, Indar Unanue, Patrick Wilson, Tom Lowe, Willam Skudin, Conor Maguire.

A Jon Aspuru Film.
Additional Footage by Chris McClean and Clem McCinerney
Music by Native Young, Hi-Finesse, Moby

NAMIBIA LEGENDARY

It was the heaviest swell I've ever seen there, scary, fast and really hard to take of! Thanks @aritz_aranburu @adrofernandez @jonbakio for the funniest trip ever!

LA MISTERIOSA - LANZAROTE

Fue un día duro para todos los que estuvimos ahí dentro! La mayoría de olas eran derechas pero cuando salía la izquierda sabia que podía ser la ola de mi vida, no había canal y muchas cerraban pero fui con todo! Después de coger un par de olas en la izquierda mi amigo Zumo vino para acompañarme ya que me encontraba allí solo... Hasta que de repente nos vino una montaña de agua en la que no había escapatoria, solo escuché a Zumo "rema por tu vida" y fue lo único que hice hasta que este pico me cayó encima... Casi dos olas por debajo, tabla partida y menos mal qué estuvimos unos cuantos y nos ayudamos el uno al otro si no ese día no hubiese podido salir del mar.... Gracias chicos por esta gran experiencia y por hacer esta gran piña en la que no dejamos que el mar se llevase a nadie.... Emocionado de haber conocido una gran joya y rezando para que se vuelvan a alinear los astros para volver más preparado que nunca...

RADICAL TIMES IN NAMIBIA

Este es mi tercer viaje a Namibia, con la experiencia que tuve en los dos viajes anteriores chequeé el swell y avisé a Kepa para que fuesemos, cogimos los billetes y nos fuimos al día siguiente sin pensarlo. En los viajes anteriores cogí las olas de mi vida, pero sabía que todavía podía cogerme olas mejores de las que había cogido. Recuerdo que entraron dos swelles, uno seguido de otro, los dos fueron muy perfectos, pero el segundo se me quedó grabado en la mente, porque estaba muy perfecto y lo mejor de todo es que no había casi gente. A pesar de la dificultad de la ola después de unas cuantas caídas cogí la ola de mi vida, salí del agua gritando, llorando de la felicidad, corría por la arena, hasta que llegué a donde Igor Bellido y le di un abrazo y otro a Francois (el guía que nos llevó hasta allí) y les dije; Chicos, esta ha sido la mejor ola que he cogido nunca, me tiré al suelo y me rebocé en la arena y ahí fue cuando me dijo Francois; ¿Qué haces? Vuelve a meterte, coge otra ola y ahí me contaras cómo ha ido. Las tres siguientes olas fueron una mejor que la otra, y en la última paré de surfear de lo increíble que fue, esa fue verdaderamente la gran ola de mi vida.

TOUCHING HEAVEN NAMIBIA - BY IGOR BELLIDO · NATXO GONZALEZ & KEPA ACERO