At Los Cerritos, it seems easy. The wave is approaching; I’m on my back, but I can hear it. I lie face down on the board. I don’t know why, but I feel confident. The crest arrives, and I immediately put into practice the steps the coach outlined in the previous class. I raise my torso and start to kick, I bring one knee forward, I shift the other foot, I don’t know how I did it, but I get up. And immediately, I fail. I fall in seconds. Also on the seven subsequent attempts. Surfing is complex.
ONE. In November 2024, this El Pescadero beach hosted its first surfing event endorsed by the World Surf League, the organization that regulates the sport worldwide: the Pacific Surf Open Cerritos. Of the 80 international surfers who competed, the winner was Jett Schilling, from the United States, who achieved a score of 17.90, two-tenths more than his compatriot Taro Watanabe. The event positioned this beach as another ideal surfing destination in Mexico, behind Puerto Escondido (Oaxaca), Revolcadero (Guerrero), Boca de Pascuales (Colima), and Sayulita (Nayarit).
The Royal Spanish Academy summarizes it as “a water sport practiced on a board that glides over the waves.” Historians disagree: some say it was in the Polynesian Islands, others that the first surfing originated in Peru, but all agree that its modern era began with Duke Kahanamoku, a gold medalist at the Stockholm (1912) and Antwerp (1920) Olympic Games, who in his retirement dedicated himself to giving demonstrations on his board. Thus began a history that established him as the Father of Surfing.
THREE. Edwin Morales, a surfer and photographer from Puerto Escondido, says during one of the tournament’s nighttime parties that the constant prejudice against surfers is that they are still equated with hippies. But to those who think this way, he recommends getting into the waves, trying surfing, and it will change their perspective. A surfer is, first and foremost, an athlete. And I believe him: in competition, everyone addresses Edwin with respect. His three decades documenting this sport have made him a benchmark.
The Cerritos Open is a testament to the growth of this sport in the country. In fact, the Mexican Surfing Federation has existed since 1987, with figures such as Coco Nogales from Aguascalientes and Alan Cleland from Colima. It’s also a culture that, in addition to language and fashion, implies a lifestyle that permeates the regions where it thrives with environmental priorities. A common theme in conversation is respect for “the wave” and the marine ecosystem.
Cerritos, Alan Cleland arrives early. He’s competing tomorrow, but today he wants to greet some friends and, above all, see the waves. His dark glasses and beard don’t make him go unnoticed by those who, noticing his unmistakable messy blond hair, ask for photos. Alan is a historic achievement: in July 2024, he became the first Mexican surfer to compete in the Olympic Games, the Paris Games. He didn’t reach the quarterfinals—he finished in Round 3, after being beaten by Frenchman Joan Duru—but his presence on the waves of Teahupoo, Tahiti, thrilled the nation.
“Alan is a very important catalyst for surfing. But we mustn’t forget that Jhony Corzo was the first to win the ISA World Surfing Games in 2017, one of the most important tournaments. The difference is that Alan was champion in 2023, and that earned him a ticket to the Olympics, which declared surfing an Olympic sport five years ago. And it was such a huge and positive catalyst, because if one could do it, another can. All that’s needed is support from the media and brands, to make more noise, to create a connection so that there are competitions all the time,” says Fernando Martín, director of Ruts, the only Mexican magazine specializing in surfing.
Surfing is an uncertain sport. Alan Cleland, the favorite of the competition, was eliminated in his first round, as the elimination rounds are known; whoever has the best sum of their two best turns on the waves advances. Sasha Donnanno, known for his aerial maneuvers, which he perfected in his hometown of Puerto Escondido, also fell short. Only two Mexicans have reached the semifinals: Oaxacan Sebastián Williams and South Californian Lucas Cassity. The former is a proven champion: he was crowned at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador. The latter, 16, has demonstrated such mastery of the waves that his colleagues predict a bright future for him.
The shape of the wave, he says, lets Cassity know whether he’ll “grab it or not.” Those that seem to “close quickly” aren’t good opportunities. The ideal ones are those that “open up,” with which it’s easy to “maneuver.” In the ocean, he rarely feels nervous; being originally from Baja California Sur, he’s been living with it his whole life. Surfing his whole life. “It’s what I do after school, what I do for a living.” He’s a very good surfer, the people of Los Cerritos say. And Lucas proves it by reaching the semifinals. Lucas says that the key to being good on the board, more than technique or training, is “having respect for the ocean, you have to be aware of it.”
Anyone can surf, but not everyone can be a professional surfer. First, it requires time by the ocean; someone who lives on San Agustinillo beach in Oaxaca won’t develop as well as someone from Mexico City. Then, there’s the financial aspect: the most common surfboard, a shortboard, costs around 10,000 pesos. Other expenses include paraffin wax, which is spread for better grip, at 300 pesos; wetsuits, which protect against low ocean temperatures, at 2,000 pesos; and grips, which are made of foam, which provide better support for the back foot, at 400 pesos. Finally, the most important thing: passion.
Passion. In mid-2024, veteran surfer Sergio Reyes Hernández Catman was involved in a car accident that now requires him to wear a neck brace and, consequently, is unable to surf. Originally from Guerrero, he attended the Pacífico Surf Open Cerritos as a judge. During the tournament, all he could think about was being on a board. “I feel desperate and sometimes I have nightmares at night: I dream that I’m just chatting away, and when I wake up, I’m disappointed to find out it was just a dream.” He still has six months of recovery to go.
The Pacífico Surf Open Cerritos was a good deal. In a press conference, Gustavo Duccini, general director of the Surf Open League and promoter of the World Surf League in Mexico, affirmed that Mexico is a “powerhouse” in surfing. But he made a more significant statement: that this tournament generated an income of approximately one million dollars, compared to a cost of $150,000.
Mexican surfing is growing but uneven. The tournament in Los Cerritos featured 80 men and only 16 women, who had their own, much more austere competition. The winner, Coral Bonilla, prevailed with 15.07 points over Maya Larripa, Moana Bonilla, and Joy Ramírez. Fernando, from Ruts, believes the women’s lag has nothing to do with institutions, but rather with the prejudice that it is a male sport. Breaking that down would increase participation and, therefore, the level.
Source: milenio
