Brazilian professional surfer Filipe Toledo chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about being a part of the first-ever “Super Bowl of Surfing” competition.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this new winner-take-all single-day format for the Rip Curl WSL Finals,” he said. “It’s going to take our sport to another level and I think it’s going to bring more viewers and opportunities in the future.”
On his daily motivations as a surfer and as a person, he said, “Surfing is amazing and it’s something I’ve been doing my entire life. Every day is different; it’s never the same and it never gets boring. I am motivated by my family, but I also do it for myself because I love it.”
For young and aspiring surfers, he recommended, “First of all, stay in school and finish school. Travel a lot if you can. Dedicate yourself to training, surfing, and improving. Nothing is easy but work hard for your dreams. And never quit.”
Regarding his proudest professional moments, Toledo shared, “My first win on the WSL Championship Tour in 2015 in the Gold Coast is a great memory. Also, the event that I won when I was 10-years-old was the start of my dream to be a pro surfer. That’s a moment I will never forget.”
He opened up about some of his career-defining moments. “Yes, I wasn’t home for the birth of my two children because I was competing. That was super hard, but the experience also motivated me to try to do better and try my best. My kids help me a lot. They have made me more mature and focused on what I’m doing,” he said.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he responded, “Family is everything to me.”
Toledo furnished his definition of the word success. “To me, success is when you really work hard and do everything you can that’s in your control. Sometimes you won’t win, but if you’ve given it your all and done everything you can, you can be proud of your journey. Winning isn’t everything,” he said.
For his dedicated fans and supporters, he expressed his appreciation. “I just want to say thank you. It’s been such a fun ride the last nine years I’ve been on the WSL Championship Tour. I really love this sport,” he explained.
“My fans and supporters make me feel really loved and you inspire me to do better every day. I hope everyone can tune in to watch the Rip Curl WSL Finals on WorldSurfLeague.com and cheer us on,” he concluded.
To learn more about professional Brazilian surfer Filipe Toledo, follow him on Instagram.
