AAEFDA RYOEI HPERTL
AUSTRALIA MAY HAVE DOMINATED THE FIRST TWO DECADES OF MEN’S PROFESSIONAL SURFING WHILE KELLY SLATER SINGLE-HANDEDLY MONSTERED AN EPOCH ON BEHALF OF NORTH AMERICA. HOWEVER, THE CURRENT ERA INDISPUTABLY BELONGS TO THE HIGH-FLYING, RELENTLESSLY COMPETITIVE, RED-BLOODED BRAZILIANS.
The 2021, top five, surf-off was held at Trestles, around the corner from ex-president Nixon’s old joint, but it wasn’t the star-spangled banner that flew proudest on finals day. As Medina roared to victory, Brazil finished one, two and three in the men’s, while Tatianna Weston-Webb pushed Carissa Moore to a tie-breaking third heat in the women’s. The ‘Storm’, as they are frequently referred to, have blown away the opposition in recent years. However, it’s not just the surfers, who are in the ascendancy. Medina claimed his emphatic third World Title on the boards of Brazilian born craftsman, Johnny Cabianca, while Marcio Zouvi’s files are now in high-demand from both pros and regular Joes alike.
Zouvi formed Sharp Eye Surfboards in 1992 and in the last 25 years has turned it into a global business. The humble, Brazilian craftsman, who likes to go fishing in his spare time, now oversees production teams on four continents from his HQ in San Diego. His most notable surfer/shaper relationship has been with Filipe Toledo, but his surfboards
