Clarissa Soares
Our next rider is from a town in Southern Brazil, set in the hilly region of Serra Gaúcha a region which is also known for it's winemaking and Italian cultural history.
Brazil is also renowned for producing bodyboard talent and our next rider is no exception, not all riders get the limelight they deserve but charge non the less and our next rider is no exception to this, please let me introduce you......
"Hi my name is Clarissa Grazziotin Soares – my nick name is Cissa I am 37 years old and I’m from the mountains, a cold city in the south of Brazil called Caxias do Sul, today I live in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul State.
I started on the north coast of Rio Grande do Sul state beaches.
I got into bodyboarding because I have two twin sisters, Renata and Daniele, they are six years older than me and they used to bodyboard in the summer.
My childhood hero was Guilherme Tamega, six time world champion.
I’m a local at Mampituba river estuary, it is located on the border of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina at Torres beach.
My favourite break in my country is Torres beach my favourite break in the world is Mampituba River.
My first board was a Mach 77......
When I was sixteen I started to travel to the beach (about 3 hours by car) every weekend. At the time my crew were the brothers Joao and Julio Lovatel, Felipe Carvalho, Cristina Schaurich after that, at college I can quote Eduardo Garcia, Bettina Marks and Mauricio Drunn.
During my master's degree I lived in Portugal and surfed in the company of Leandro Sieves and friends. Today I have a lot of friends and good people that I have met thanks to the bodyboarding life. My crew now is Camila Giacomelli, Carina Schein, Fernando Demore, Karina Croa and my love Pedro Henrique.
I don't really compete I have just participated at two events, one promoted by Federação Gaucha de bodyboarding (FGB) and another called Pampa Barrels, I like to be a free rider.
I am a biologist and I mastered in Marine Ecology. The ocean was always my passion, I have worked about ten years within environmental consulting but today I am a Civil Police agent.
I am currently riding a genesis board model: Neymara carvalho, size 38 and I love it.
I like Roxy long johns and Rip Curl bikinis and I use a creatures leash.
Hard Rock music gets me going pre surf......
My favourite memories of bodyboarding were the first El rollos at Mocambique beach, Santa Catarina state.
I have already lived and surfed in Portugal and I loved Costa da Caparica, Peniche and Carcavelos waves.
I have surfed in France (Anglet, Biarritz), Spain (Liencres), Peru (from Pacasmayo to La Herradura), Indonesia (Uluwatu, Sumbawa, Nusa Lembongan), Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Espirito Santo, Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina and Pernambuco states, beside Fernando de Noronha island).
I have always lived my life being grateful to the seas. At college I worked with Marine Bottany, identification of marine algae species and fish platforms at Rio Grande do Sul. During my master's degree I dived to search the marine algae alien species at Ports and Marines in the Lisbon region of Portugal. This sport learned me patience, discipline and to love nature and its cycles.
Because of bodyboarding I have seen amazing places and met many amazing people besides the incredible contact with the universe and its forces! "
Clarissa thank you so much for sharing your story...........
For all the Ladies out there don't miss out on the opportunity to bodyboard some of the best waves on the planet down in Mexico with the one and only Valentina Díaz.
Valentina has linked up with our boy Heriberto over at The Puerto Experience to offer a ladies only trip May 13th-18th 2020..... Get coached by Valentina one of the biggest wave chargers out there, get in quick spots are filling up fast........
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