The most entertaining man in surfing. And it ain’t even close. Photo: Thiago Diz//World Surf League
For the vast majority of the Rio Pro, I wasn’t exactly gravitating to my computer to watch the mediocre beachbreak conditions. Have you felt how nice the weather has been in California lately? Enjoying the outdoors was obviously the superior choice. But I figured I should tune into the finals to stay up to date. And while the men’s final was somewhat entertaining as Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira traded off punts, I found myself, curiously, much more captivated by Italo’s celebration and post-heat interview.
After another signature backflip off the stage, from the get go Italo was overcome with emotion, holding back tears of joy and sacrifice. He thanked his parents, highlighted how far he had come in his “rags to riches” success story, and then really let it go when he switched over to Portuguese. He candidly voiced that he had been shedding tears at home the last few days, and, like many Brazilians often do, humbly gave most of the credit to God.
After days of competition, it was just a quick two minutes, maybe missed by many, but it underlined my admiration of Italo and his value to the sport of surfing.
Italo is authentic and genuine to a level that makes it impossible to dislike the guy. He says what’s on his mind and his joy is palpable. In a largely testosterone-driven sport where being manly is encouraged, or even rewarded, Italo is not afraid to be vulnerable, emotional, and open. He is the antithesis to his counterpart, John John Florence, who is more reserved, mysterious, and introverted (nothing wrong with that). The end result of Italo’s concoction of personality traits and talent is pure entertainment both in and out of the water.
He’s a character in and of himself, a refreshing contrast among the status quo of surfers at the sport’s vanguard. He humanizes surfing and can resonate with a wider audience and fan base.
Italo is one of the few surfers on tour that didn’t come from a place of privilege and had to climb out of poverty. Everyone knows his story of learning to surf on a piece of styrofoam in Baía Formosa. And he hasn’t forgotten where he came from either, starting an institute in his hometown to introduce youth to surfing. His humble beginnings certainly helped nurture his authenticity and genuine happiness for the heights he’s reached in his career.
He also is (behind Medina) one of the most prominent poster children for surfing in his home of Brazil. His three-million followers on Instagram and sponsorship from brands like Vivo, Ford, and Red Bull attest to his popularity. Surfing is ingrained in Brazilian culture to a level that would astound most Americans (this American speaking from first-hand experience). And being one of the faces of the sport for the Portuguese-speaking world is an even greater role to assume, especially considering surfing’s global popularity. I couldn’t think of a better ambassador than Italo.
Italo’s aura is multi-functional. It’s entertaining, which attracts eyeballs (aka revenue), and it encapsulates the core values of surfing – self-expression and joy. He sums his ethos up pretty well with his tattoos: “Faith” is written on his hand, “blessed” on his back, and “stok-ed,” which pokes fun at his Brazilian, two-syllable pronunciation of the word, is etched on his hand. It’s not every day that a character like this emerges in the sport with such otherworldly talent that translates to competitive success. Financially and spiritually speaking, surfing needs Italo. It’s an honor to have witnessed the prime of his career up close. Let’s enjoy it while it lasts.
