Riding the Wild: Zambezi River Surfer Sam Bradford

On the mighty Zambezi River , where thunderous whitewater cuts through raw African wilderness, Sam Bradford has carved out a wave almost entirely his own. At Rapid Number 11, during two fleeting seasonal windows each year, a rare barrel forms. And when it does, Sam is usually the only one riding it.

Born to the River

Sam’s relationship with the Zambezi started young.

“I began kayaking on the Zambezi at 10 years old and quickly became obsessed with the river,” he says. “I only started surfing about three years ago...