Photos and videos by @annemenke2

Mexican Enzo Ackerman had been coming off a string of not very good results in the QS and some JQSs in which he had competed and, as a result of persevering and hard work, in the water and in the gym, he took his surfing to the top of the podium in pro junior Barbados.

As he says: “I would say my surfing is more about technique and power” and in his videos and in the championship, you can see precisely that: A good line and good fundamentals.

A surfing style that works well with Soup Bowl but also works well with what judges value nowadays: Power, line, attacks in heavy sections.

Below, the Mexican, one of the three who had a good result in Soup Bowl this year, talks about his life.

How would you tell people who Enzo Ackermann is?
My name is Enzo Ackermann, I'm 19 years old, and I'm a Mexican surfer from Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico. I love the ocean, the beach, protecting the environment, and spending time with friends and family.

In my free time, I train both in and out of the water to become a better surfer and athlete every day. When I'm not working on my professional surfing career, I'm working on my non-profit project called "Agua Libre" (Free Water).

How would you define your surfing style?
I would say that my surfing is more about technique and power, I also really like the explosive and fluid aspects.

What's your favorite wave?
They are Barra de la Cruz, Rocky Point, and Soup Bowl.

Who do you admire in surfing and outside of surfing?
In surfing I greatly admire people like John John Florence, Gabriel Medina and some of my best friends, Alan Cleland Jr and Marco Mignot.

Time in the water, time in the gym, or both?
I train in the water for roughly 10 to 20 hours a week. But obviously, it depends on the waves. My training out of the water is very specific. I've been working with my coach, Ryan Helm, for eight years now, and he helps me with both surfing and gym training. We train together in Sayulita twice a day, seven days a week, and if there are waves, we surf too!

What do you like to do besides surfing?
I love spending time with my friends, family, and girlfriend, but the truth is that almost everything I do is for my surfing and my career. But even if I weren't a surfer, I think I'd train a lot because I really enjoy training and pushing my body to new levels.

Favorite food?
Ceviche or any dish with raw fish has to be easy.

Favorite music?
The truth is that I listen to all kinds of music, but I would say that what I listen to most are corridos, Mexican music and salsa.

Favorite non-surfing movie?
My favorite movie would have to be "The Hurricane." It's a movie about a boxer who is falsely tried and convicted of a murder he didn't commit.