By Franco Radziunas. Presented by: Quiksilver Argentina Cover photo: Franco in a good one by Quiksilver/Bendahan

My father was a great Argentine surfer, He has been surfing here in Mar del Plata all his life and he competed in world championships and other tournaments. He was the one who taught me how to surf when I was very little, taking me to the beach and making me run along the shore. Later, around the age of 10, I was already getting into waves that were difficult for people to ride for my age, like the Yacht, and since they knew him and respected him, I remember a few times when he would push me on the peak among all the greats and he would run me off the best waves hahaha.

In my life, when I was older, I was strongly influenced by Mick Fanning, because I really like the style and fluidity he has, combined with power surfing. I watched a lot of videos of him trying to capture details in the turns or maneuvers to be able to implement in my surfing.

The best wave I ever surfed in Argentina was About a month ago in Necochea, a very tubular left that I surfed with my dad, and given the conditions it seemed like another place, outside of Argentina. I remember dropping backside, getting on a tube and at the same time seeing my dad who was a little more open.  looking at me. In fact, he told me later that he thought I hadn't come out; it was an epic moment.

The best wave I surfed outside of Argentina was at El Gringo In 2019, in May, during the QS that takes place there. It was a few days after the tournament and since there weren't that many people, I was able to catch a bomb. It was one of the heaviest waves I've ever ridden in my life because the swell was at its peak and also the whole environment of El Gringo, with the rocks and the wave, generates adrenaline that I love. I was riding with a 6'6 and that's why I dropped comfortably and then I hit a good, big tube that made the trip for me.

Something that hurt me in life was, probably, having lost my last junior year due to the Covid issue, because I feel that I was at my best both technically and tactically with my surfing and during the year I had planned to compete in several international tournaments that were cancelled.

Something that filled me with joy and pride was reaching the final of the open tournament in La Paloma in 2018, being the youngest in history. I feel that from then on I not only became much more motivated to compete but I also began to trust myself and my surfing more.

I like my surfing to be characterized by being power surfing with radical maneuvers trying every day to improve my technique and pushing my surfing to be more innovative, strong and constant.

Someday I would like to be among the best surfers, competing around the world, meeting new people and places. I would also like to prepare to race some big wave spots.

Something very funny happened to me once. I don't think it's happened to very few people, or at least I haven't heard of anyone. I was surfing and I landed an aerial that felt kind of weird when I landed. Then I realized that something had happened with the leash. When I got out, I realized that in the air the leash had gone through the board near the tip in a very unlikely way. I found it funny because I understood that it was something very rare that I knew would become a funny anecdote.

Something that nobody knows about me The thing is that in my family, practically since I was born, my nickname is “Pilu”, I don’t know why, but that’s what they call me.

 

 

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