Chloé Calmon | pro surfer | life lover | rio de janeiro

Tell us about yourself: Where are you from? Where do you currently live?

I was born and bred in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and still is my favorite city.

Tell us about some of your hobbies and passions.

I always lived next to the beach and my dad as a surfer and swimmer put me in the water since I was a little baby. So it was a matter of time until I felt ready to start surfing. Since I can remember I have a passion for the ocean, and everything I do is based on the waves. I am really blessed to be a professional surfer and to be able to get in the water everyday. Another passion for me is to have an active lifestyle. Besides surfing I like to work out, run at the beach, swim, any exercise to be active.

Tell us how did you get started and involve in longboard surfing?

I got my first surfboard when I was 11 -  a funboard. A year later I borrowed my dad's longboard in a small wave day and I fell in love with in on my very first wave. I got attracted with the fact of how a tiny girl like me could control such a big board and still have plenty of fun. In the same year I started competing on local contest, state events and then the national events. I've always been competitive - before surfing I would compete in swimming; so I really loved being around contests and since that time I was focused to improve myself everyday.

What do you like the most about riding a longboard?

 

You’re a world longboard champion, how does it feel?

How do you feel when you are in a competition ?

I feel really excited when I am close to a contest, to finally show what I've been training and working. But to compete is an art, there are so many things involved besides surfing. The hard thing is to surf in a heat the same way I freesurf and forget about the other surfers, so you have to work a lot on your mind.

How would you describe your style ?

I feel more relaxed when I keep it classic and go out with big boards just for nose riding. But as a competitor, you need a good mix of both classical and progressive. Having only beach breaks at my hometown I got to work a lot with lighter boards and modern maneuvers. The good thing about longboarding is that you can surf in so many ways, so why put on a label and strict it to only way or another? :)

Do you think there’s a place for competitive long boarding compare to short board?

There are a lot of great competitors in the longboard scenario around the world. The only thing is there are not many contests, comparing to shortboard. When I started competing in Brazil, there were so many contests and nowadays we only had one in March. The world championships have only one event in China, and it would be great to have more events to decide the world title so that the winner would be the real best surfer throughout the year in all of the conditions. And now with the news that surfing will be an Olympic Sport from Tokyo 2020, so it's about time the longboard crew gathers up together to stand up for our sport!

What fears do you have in surfing and how have you overcome them?

Who and what inspire you in your surf ?

 

What inspires you to keep pushing the limits of women’s longboarding?

 

How do you see the surf culture now?

It's cool to be a surfer nowadays, it has exploded in many countries and the sport is more professional. Big companies out of the segment coming into this scene sponsoring athletes and events, interviews on open TV... In Brazil, surfing is so popular in the mainland states, where people have never been to the beach. For us athletes is a good thing I think because people see us as professionals like in any other sports.

Are any member of your family are pro surfers too?

Where would be your surf dream destination ?

I'm really looking forward to do a boat trip again to a paradise place. I want to go to Indonesia and Maldives.  Last year I travelled for 2 months on a ship - the Indies Trader, commanded by Martin Daly - around Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Papua New Guine and Solomon Island. That was insane, we went to places never visited and surfed waves never ridden.

If you had to choose one longboard to ride, which one and why?

What is your best memory of a surf trip you have recently?

 

What would you like to be doing in 10 years from now?

 

What advice can you offer to women surfers?

Find joy in everything, always respecting your limits and Mother Nature!

Best surf spot for longboarding?

So hard to pick one spot!!!!! Praia da Macumba/Brazil; Byron Bay/Australia, San Onofre/California.