Back in 2014, when Gabriel Medina won the world title it cemented in the minds of many that the so-called “Brazilian Storm” was a force to be reckoned with. And yes, while Medina is the first Brazilian surfer to win the highest honor in the discipline of riding a shortboard, Brazil’s reputation as a surf powerhouse was foreshadowed long before Medina was chaired up the beach at Ehukai.
Enter Phil Rajzman, 2007 ASP world longboard champion. As The Inertia‘s Alex Haro wrote several years ago, “Rajzman was (and still is) one of the best longboarders in the world. Combining powerful surfing and style, his masterful approach to riding waves is on par with any of the legends. While he may not be a household name, the Brazilian deserves a place at the table. His innovative approach to riding a longboard is unparalleled, blending a unique mix of progressive surfing and old-school soul.” In 2018, those words couldn’t ring truer.
Here’s Phil during a season in Hawaii putting a performance log through its paces at (among other places) thumping Hawaiian tubes.
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