Estefania Paredi

Our next rider is from a country that is more famous for Football than Bodyboarding, it is also home to one of the most luxurious and largest casinos in the world.

It is the countries most popular beach resort and is the second most visited City offering miles of some of the most amazing beaches along with the natural beauty of the area's wind swept dunes and dramatic cliffs, ecological reserves, fancy resorts, stunning fishing villages and of course the culture and vibrant nightlife of the city.

"Hi my name is Estefania Paredi, I'm 31 years old and I am from Mar del Plata, Argentina, I´ve lived here my whole life.

I started practiceing aquatic sports at the age of 5 and at the age of 12, I specifically got into bodyboarding.

I live in a coastal city so everybody around me practices some kind of aquatic sport. I used to swim, so my friends and I used to go, in summer, to the beach so we practiced some surfing, swimming and bodyboarding.

When I got on my bodyboard I was happy, I remember my mother always yelling at me on the shore bacause she thought it was too deep for me.

My mother is a physical education teacher and personal trainer so even though she tried hard to take care of me she always motivated me to practice sport and my dad loves water so I was always into the sea with him.

When I was young I was a huge fan of Guilherme Tamega, Michael Eppelstun and Ben Holland, and in my country I was fan of Emiliano Tabaré.

My local break when I was young was Playa Grande in Mar del Plata, but here we have lots of beaches with beautiful spots to surf. When I grew up and moved to another house near the centre I started going to Playa Popular near the fisherman´s wharf and met the best left in the city. Now I go around the city according to how the tides are.

My favourite breaks in this town are Popular, Alicante, Mariano, Varese and Luna Roja.

My favourite break in the world is Playa Hermosa Costa Rica and La Machacona Canary Islands and my first board was a NMD 360.

I used to go surfing with some friends but then they went to live abroad so I usually go alone now, I prefer to connect with the sea and relax my mind, besides that, here in Mar del Plata the female bodyboard scene is not, only not recognised but also there are not too many competitions, we still fight against male chauvinist

I do not compete and there is no competitions for women in this country.

I work for a fishing Vessel Company, in the human resources area , I'm finishing my degree in psychology and my degree as lifeguard.

Im not a pro rider and here to survive you need to work and study, there is no way to leave of sponsors.

I do ride a PRIDE PP HD ANIMAL, my weatsuit is a rip curl e bomb, my leash is revo and my flippers are Hubboards.

I have my only personal sponsor QUOKKA PONCHOS that provide me a changing towel to keep me warm during the winter and that allows me to change my clothes more comfortably, I love them and I do really thank them♥

I do wear surf clothes in general, like pride, found, some local ones and then rusty, roxy, vans, rip curl etc.

Pre surf I do listen to motivate my cumbias, I recomend you to listen LA NUEVA LUNA, LOS PALMERAS, DAMAS GRATIS, DALILA, KARINA so you get into the water full of energy and good mood. If I need some peace and want to get some relaxation I listen reggae like Marley , SOJA etc.

All photos are from Estafanias private collection

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