Introducing 'My Kind of Shade' – London Almida's Hunt for the Biggest Tube

Portugal's Supertubos is one of the greatest beachbreak barrels on the planet. On its day, it is a crazy-fast, super-fun left hand wonder-keg – with a shorter right on offer too. It's a place to go for surfers in Europe (and beyond) to sharpen their tube-wrangling abilities. But for 22-year-old London Almida, it's home.

“Remember the first time I got a proper barrel out there,” said London. “Then I was hooked. It's more difficult to surf than somewhere like Pipeline. Pipe is so perfect, you know how it's going to pan out. But Supertubos, it gets weird, the exit can be high, can be low, and all those adjustments you have to make just to get out. It's a great place to learn to get barrelled.”

London's a name you're probably familiar with, and a mainstay on the Peniche surf circuit. Having grown up in the US, and successfully competing on the NSSA, he travelled the world before returning to his routes at Portugal's favourite stretch of sand.

From there, the progression was simple: go bigger. And some 60 kilometres north of Peniche is Portugal's scary beachbreak giant, Nazare. Home to the biggest wave ever surfed.

“I said to myself, 'I want to get the craziest barrel there',” said London. “It would have to be tow, but so many people are towing these days. Even the likes of Gabriel Medina and Italo Ferreira are utilising tow more and more. That's my focus. Getting the biggest barrel ever at Nazare.”

London's new short flick, 'My Kind of Shade', documents his pursuit for exactly that. Whether he gets there, hit play.