Miguel Pupo

In 10, 15 or 20 years from now, when we live in a surf world where Brazilians go on trips with Americans and are legit world title contenders and there’s no “except for his style” attached to their accolades, Miguel Pupo will be seen as the guy who helped change it all. “Miggy,” as he’s affectionately known, is Brazilian 2.0. The kid from Sao Paulo surfs stylish, progressive and hummingbird fast. Tail blows as if they were floaters and air reverses as if they were double grabs — all on his dad’s hand-shaped boards. And with his mild-mannered demeanor on land he charms everyone he meets with his generous smile and smooth accent. And while he’s a sweet guy on the beach, Miguel gets the job done in heats. Last year alone he won two six-stars (one at Lowers and one at the Cold Water Classic) which gave him the boost he needed to climb onto the world tour at the mid-year cut off. Now he’s onto the big stage and packing an arsenal that could put him into the top-16 immediately, this unassuming kid from a South American surf family could be turning the surf world Brazilian-friendly a bit sooner than expected.

Enjoy Miguel knowing that there’s a hint of revolution in the air.