Filipe Toledo’s year away from the Championship Tour was also a year away from the spotlight. After back-to-back world titles, you’d imagine the demands for his time, energy, and attention would come from every possible angle and it’s hard to blame an athlete who has the awareness to push pause in the midst of all that.
It seems sabbaticals are the new craze in surfing now. But surfing is one of the few professions where an athlete doesn’t stop working once he or she stops working. And the money doesn’t come to a screeching halt just because the jersey comes off. Ironically, though, sabbaticals for surfers are really just extended downtime to…go surfing. Just no jerseys, no tour schedule to abide by.
“It is extremely difficult all year round, challenging like war,” Toledo says of his competitive life. “There was a lot of pressure, a lot of demands. And I needed a break.”
Raiz y Sal is a glimpse into how Toledo spent that break. Waves in Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and back in his home country of Brazil, where surfing wasn’t about competition for the first time in years.
Going by his own words in the film, the year away was well spent. He was present, but more importantly, he says he was happy.
“Moments I wouldn’t trade for anything. So I’m enjoying every second of it. And I feel like it’s worth it,” he said.
Like I said, it’s tough to argue with that.
