Bodysurfer Annihilated by ‘Nightmare’ Brazil Shorebreak (Video)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 5:46 PM ET

The Wedge, Waimea Bay, Ke Iki Beach, Cabo San Lucas – these are some of the world’s most well-known, and most dangerous, bodysurfing spots across the globe.

However, hiding outside the city center of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, there’s a handful of vicious, mutant, and extremely perilous (for the uninitiated) shorebreak spots.

But if you know what you’re doing, and you don’t mind a barrage of sand entering every bodily orifice for a few moments of glory, these spots can be a playground for experienced bodysurfers. Spots like Praia de Itaipuaçu, and bodysurfers like Victor Ugo Peixoto.

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In a recent clip from the Brazilian shorebreak monstrosity, Peirxoto sends it on an utterly freakish wall of dark and deadly wall of water breaking in mere inches of water. The result? Complete oblivion. But fortune favors the bold.

Commenting on the clip, the dangers of this spot were made clear:

“The locals have a good knowledge of this sea and use these waves to have fun and to practice bodysurfing. But for bathers and visitors this sea is usually quite dangerous and requires a lot of care. Ideal only to observe this wonder of nature.”

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It’s also not too far from where the World Surf League holds their annual stop in Brazil, in Saquarema, another beachbreak spot outside of Rio de Janeiro. And although Saquarema can be weird and wonky – offering the occasional tube, rippable lips, and air sections – it’s nothing like what’s seen here at Itaipuaçu.

The wave above is, definitively, for bodysurfers only – and just barely.

Which is why, as explained above, this spot should be taken with a great deal of caution. And visitors should stray away, or at the very least, heed warnings. In another post, locals warned:

“RESPECT THE SIGNS AND SAVE LIVES.”

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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