Karina Mattos Bodyboarder
Saltwater Dreaming interview with Karina Mattos bodyboard pro
by Adriana De Matteo
Karina Santos Mattos Professional Body boarding Athlete
32 years old, Brazilian, Single and Graduated in Tourism, Karina has been bodyboarding for eleven years.
Her career as an amateur rocketed in 1999 when she scored the second position in two tours: Amateur Carioca tour -Rj and Capixaba -ES and also was ranked in the 5th position in the Brazilian Circuit. In the same year, Karina traveled to Hawaii, where she could spend big time practicing to finally achieve the 2nd position at HASA Hawaiian Tour. Right after that, she upgraded her status during the Pipeline World Tour, becoming a professional body boarder, now taking challenge on powerful and barreling Hawaiian waves.
Without any support to continue competing in the professional body boarding circuit, She tried a few more contests at the AWB (association of women body boarders), deciding then to dedicate her life to "Free Surfing".
In 2000, Karina finally had the opportunity to travel abroad. And it was straight to Indonesia, the Surfers Paradise destination.
A lot of support came from different people and companies that allowed Karina to keep her goals as a Free Surfer, always promoting her work and life style, traveling after good waves and representing her country Brazil.
Bali: As time went on, Karina achieved a good position in the media and respect from the local surf industry, and also sponsorship from Surfer Girl, the best all girls surf shop in the world. It was then she found the proper support to promote and implement the body boarding focusing on Bali local market, and being Bali such and international scene, this new wave ended up reaching many people from other countries in Asia. She organized surf trips especially for body boarder girls around Indonesia and the first body boarding competition in Kuta, Bali.
Past Sponsers: She was directly involved in the introduction of body boarding equipment and accessories for sale at The Surfer Girl Surf Shop, her sponsor at the time, linking this company to another sponsor, NMD, company that has become "the Surfer Girl" official boards supplier.
Besides Bali, Karina has traveled to Malaysia,Thailand and Singapore, promoting the sport and became a pioneer: The first body boarding professional athlete to ride Malasyan Waves.
In the media: Her work and profile has appeared on the best body boarding magazines around the globe such as: Riptide, 360 magazine, Tiare Girls ( Hawaii) ,Rideit ( Brasil) , Girls Power( france), Vert - Portugal, Inside Sports - Australia , Go Girls ( jakarta),Surf Time and web sites like www.fluidzone.com... Etc.
Karina was also the first body boarder highlighted in the history of Surftime Magazine, the first and most popular magazine about Surfing in Indonesia.Goals: Sponsorship to attend the surf season itinerary Brazil/Hawaii /Indonesia and Tahiti every year in order to practice the sport also collect promotional material based on photos and footage in order to expose sponsor's brand and image.
To build a network around worldwide free surfing events organizers related to television aiming to achieve intense and efficient exposure in television programs related to the sport, movies, reality shows, where I will be able to demonstrate my abilities as a free surfer body boarding athlete and also as a sportive masseuse. To be supported with good equipment to surf with security and confidence.
To Develop her own body board design, specially attending her needs, measures, wave type and specific materials for different waves and temperature conditions. Fins and leashes as well.
Finally, she would be absolutely available to participate and compete on the world and European tours in case sponsors find it necessary.
Others:Besides being an athlete and her career as an events organizer, Karina worked as free lance export agent and receptive tourist guide in Bali.
She is a masseuse specialized in sport, Thai medicinal massages including shiatsu techniques, providing this service often during her trips.
Languages: Portuguese, English, Spanish and Bahasa Indonesia. Karina is very communicative and passionate about marketing, reason why she efficiently achieves new markets for her sponsors' business.
Events organized by Karina:
Interview with Free Surfer Karina Mattos
Hi Karina, I am really glad that you have agreed to interview with me. I am happy to do it!
what are your biggest difficulties as a female bodyboarder? Get sponsors to go around doing free surf also get respect in the water being a Brazilian women First i must show that i can take off on the sets and make the drop and second that I wear small swimsuits because I´m Brazilian and it's cultural ..I´m not a prostitute and i like respect! bein alone ...is hard sometimes too ...:)
Tell me a little bit about your style of surfing? I like free surf because i can surf for passion and then when this happens you can be an inspiration for people and people can be inspiration for me. Surfing is not a competition it is a the feeling you get...inspiration for the soul!
What are your favourites surf spots? I love all the best barrels in the world ..all i have surfed and all that I still want to surf like Tahiti, Philippines, Maldives ...
Any favourites trips? Yes ...Hawaii, Mentawaiis, Malaysia (people), Sumba and Roti
tell me some funny stories? People always call me crazy because i like to drop into crazy waves ...and maybe some boys are afraid of me because of that 🙂 But i´m just a normal woman , just crazy to have a dream were sometimes i can count just on me.
what are your future plans? Have a sponsor who supports me in my goals, that are good board, good fins, and money to do the tour Hawaii- Tahiti - Indonesia - Brasil every year ...have a nice boyfriend who loves me and my life style:)
Favourite Bodyboarders? Neymara Carvalho and Mike Stewart
You are from Brazil what are your favourite beaches to surf in Brazil? Itacoatiara RJ , Saquarema-RJ
When you were in Bali where did you like to surf? Uluwatu and Padang Padang when it's breaking.
If someone wants to learn bodyboarding, what is the first thing they should have? wish- first , be persistent -second and dont be shy, because everybody has experienced those early learning days.
Tell me about your life history I started bodyboarding at 21, grew up in the country side of Brasil 500km from the beach ...in a historic city ...no surf, no waves...and no surf culture and industry , now I am 32 , and I´m always traveling and promoting tourism in articles or helping people any way i can and when i´m at home ( parents ) i do some house work ...i also visualize some events and at the moment working on my new web site .
Thank you Karina, I know that you are an inspiration to women surfers around the world. Thanks so much Somjai!
"You can be a spectator, or you can go and do it" Karina Santos Mattos
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