Riding Chilli A2

This story has to start with my first experience with these boards.  Chilli Surfboards is a well-known and internationally reputed Australian surfboard brand.  Many world champions surfed the boards of the iconic shaper James Cheal, such as Andy Irons, Mick Fanning, and now Adriano de Souza.

I started surfing in Hendaye and my dream was to be able to travel to Australia, which is where all the nitty-gritty is.  I was lucky and when I turned 14 years old, that dream came true!  So I contacted Chilli to ask for my first board, the model was Step Down.  When they gave it to me I was like a little boy because back then, and still to the day, having a new and Australian board is the best!  I finally had my board with the classic Chilli logo.  It was a great board and I really enjoyed it until I broke it in Hawaii.

After several trips to Australia and asking for more and more boards, one year they totally met my needs and made me the best board I had so far.  The model was called Habanero and they made a swallow tail.  With this board, I made it to national champion, first final in a Pro Junior and Bronze Medal at the ISA World Championship in Nicaragua…

Now, more than 10 years after my start with Chilli, I have reached an exceptional quality of boards and designs and this is key to my improvement as a surfer and competitor.

This video shows which model I use, what measurements based on my height and weight, and my first surf with a MAGIC board!  What exactly is a magic board?  You feel that everything is possible, it sticks to your feet and you manage to transfer the surf that you have in mind to reality.  When that happens you know you are riding one.

Special thanks to the entire Chilli Surfboards team, James Cheal, Michael Spencer, Tiago Pires, and Joao in particular for the support and good work throughout all these years.

Best of all, you can still improve little details and strengthen the relationship over time!  This has just started!

1. The liters can be a good reference but it is not everything! It may vary depending on the brand of boards or the model.
2. Make sure you have a good reference from previous boards for choosing your new one.
3. DO NOT settle for epoxy material! It is very comfortable and the feeling is good but if you really want to improve you should also surf normal PU.  I surf 90% PU and 10% Epoxy at most.
4. Remember that “a bad surf does not mean anything.” This is essential since in surfing you have to be patient and you never know when the improvement will come.  In my case, it has never been linear but neither are the waves so it does not seem strange to me.
5. Paddle with full power. Even if a board is good, it is essential to position yourself well and take off perfectly.  If you do this, your board may be even better than you thought.