All the elements were in place over the last few days for Peruvian Lucca Mesinas to win the QS 3000 at Drill Hall Beach in Barbados: Lefts identical to those in Mancora, a good physical and mental position and the feeling that it was possible.

Mesinas' victory is one of the most valuable in the last year for Peru and it shows the good moment that the country is going through. This Inka Team is definitely gaining strength: Alvaro Malpartida made the semis in Pipe, Joaquín del Castillo fourth, Alonso Correa had won at home three weeks ago, then Tudela made the podium in Martinique and now Peru won and also achieved a third place.

In the following paragraphs, the Peruvian reconstructs the dream week he spent in Barbados.

What did you do differently in this QS that gave you the victory?
I think that in terms of tactics I was able to change my way of thinking quite a bit because I knew that I was riding a wave very similar to the one at home in Máncora, I knew that I had the level to be able to pass quite a few heats, so I realized that if I got into the water and was smart in choosing the best waves and giving it my all when the opportunity came.

Also, maybe in this one I told myself that I had to relax, that I was on a wave that could do well and if I did. I came from Martinique where I hadn't done so well, I saw Miguel who did well and I decided to give it my all too… The fact that the Inkateam all go through series also motivated me to do the same.

There was no change overall, I was always positive, I was prepared and I gave it my all in my series.

How much did the fact that the tournament was held on the left have an influence?
It helped me a lot, as I said, the wave was exactly the same as in Mancora. It even had almost the same strength, so I knew when to ride the wave, when to put in a good roller… It helped me a lot. Sometimes I put a bit of pressure on myself when I get lefts because I always ride that way, but I think that changed in this championship, I relaxed and every wave that came I broke.

How do you feel now that a few hours have passed?
I am super happy to have won my first QS. It is an incredible feeling, at the time I couldn't believe it and I was getting happier and happier. Today I woke up after having been with all the Peruvians yesterday, and I feel very happy to have been among the top 12 in the QS. This motivates me to keep giving it my all in the next championships to come.

I feel much more motivated and confident because I know that I have the level, and that is what I have to do in the next championships to get better results.

What was the first thing you thought when you realized you had won?
I had been waiting for it to finish from the beginning, because I started off really well, with a 7 and a 9, and with 10 minutes to go I got an 8. In fact, I already wanted the heat to end and it was feeling really long.

When it ended I felt incredibly happy, I couldn't believe it, because I had been in so much contact with the wave, they had come to me well in the final, it happened that the Brazilian was going away on a wave and behind him came a better one for me. There was a lot of faith and confidence with the wave and that made me very happy when the series ended.

I also thought that I did it, I did what I had dreamed of, which was to win a QS. I completed one of the goals I had always hoped for. Now I want to accomplish the next ones, I have a pretty big list and I hope to complete them all.

At what point did you realize you could win it?
The final, when I got the 7, and then with the 9 I said to myself: “I have to win it”… I had to wait for the next good wave and be smart in every move.

I don't think I ever thought I could win the championship, it was series by series, I became more and more motivated to keep going and little by little I reached the final.

And when you see your name in 12th place in the ranking, do you think about the CT?
I know it's a long road, 3000 points is a good result to get in, it's not the best, but it's in the middle... I don't know if I think much about the CT, more than anything I think about focusing on the goals I've set for myself for this year and obviously if the results I've always dreamed of come true, they will come true.

I want to focus this year on improving my surfing and my way of competing. I know that it is one of the things I have to work on the most, but sometimes my mind doesn't help me and I make bad decisions in the heats. It is something I want to work on a lot and in fact, after this win here in Barbados, I know that I am one step closer.

I'm going to keep giving it all year and if the results come, they will come.

How do you face the rest of the year now?
Now that I have a good position here in Barbados I have to choose my championships well for the rest of the year, go to those where my surfing is better and suits the wave and obviously also go to the primes and big championships to get the necessary points.

I'm thinking of going to Indonesia to compete in the Krui Pro, which is held on an incredible left-hand side, so I'll be there in Indonesia having fun for a while and then nothing, going all out for the 6000 and 10.000 which are the most important and where I have to earn points.

I also want to do a couple of 1500m and 3000m that I want to do during the year. One of my goals is to win the North American ranking. This win in Barbados put me fourth, for the rest of the year I might go to the 1000m and 1500m to win that trophy.

One of the ones I'm looking forward to the most is the US Open, which is the wave where I've always trained and I'd like to have a good result there.

The 9,5 that gave him victory in Barbados: