Israel Rocha, new team rider

The first photo that he sent us. With two good friends…
photo: Giovanna Marcondes
As we are now preparing our reentry in Brazil, we are stoked to announce new brazilian team rider, Israel Rocha.
Israel Rocha is 26 anos, started surfing 14 years ago and he lives in the south of Brazil, Florianópolis, really close to one of the best surf spots in the area, Praia do Santinho. That’s the spot where they have most of the local contest and even WQS and Pro Junior events.
His surf style is classic and he likes manoeuvres like tail slides, snaps, off the lips and smooth cut backs. He’s not a new school fan. “I like to enjoy all the wave line and do it till the end”
He defines himself as a very peaceful guy, as he loves nature and also he’s a fan of yoga, running and football.
Right now Israel is on a surftrip in South Africa till 7-June, and his main anchors will be Plettenberg Bay, on the first month, and then the famous Jeffreys Bay till the end of the trip.
His first impressions about the trip are mainly about the fauna “Although almost everybody talks about the huge fauna diversity in South Africa, I am really surprised with the harmony that I found between the nature and people”, says him.
Yesterday, when he was surfing perfect waves in “Loockout Point”, Plettenberg Bay, he saw about 40 or 50 dolphins.
But right after he got really scared, as he saw a giant black shadow below him in the water. He thought it was a white shark, very common there, but then he saw there were two big ray fish. When he got back home, he met lots of monkeys.
Soon we will publish more photos and stories about his surftrip.